@Chembiodad because we can’t afford full pay. Not even looking at NESCAC schools because we need academic merit and they don’t offer that. (His stats are higher than the ones you listed and he has support from some schools that are not as competitive in XC already so we know at least some options will be on table, but would like to maximize options of course.)
That’s it, no other reason.
@Booajo, there are buckets of applicants at or above 1500/34 - my DD had a 1540/35, but frankly at above 1500 I don’t think it’s the differentiator. If merit aid is important there are several great Midwest D3 LAC’s that offer it, including Grinnell, Kenyon, and Oberlin; my DD got really nice merit aid from the last two (never pursued Grinnell) and she also had a great relationship with the Oberlin coach throughout the process - nothing but great things to say about how they treated her.
There are schools where they will do a pre-read so you’d know what the financial/merit aid would be before the ED application deadline. Of course, that only works if the merit is somewhat guaranteed. We knew what the minimum merit was (it could go up with better scores, higher gpa) in October.
My kid has now set dates with coaches for two OVs, plus another one self-pay overnight to a D3 school, has another OV offer my kid is trying to defer until the spring (not sure that will work), has pretty much blown off another OV offer from a school my kid would only go to if there was a large scholarship (could be academic mixed with athletic but won’t know about academic until spring decisions), and expects another OV offer after a planned phone call later this week. Once concern is that with the two OVs where dates have been agreed upon (and which the offer clearly included transportation costs) have not been followed up with instructions as to how to arrange for the transportation (one of which will have to include airfare). It has been a week or more since the dates were set and I am wondering what experiences others have had with regard to how promptly the coaches or their staff normally follow up with instructions on picking out exact flights. It sounds like the schools make the flight arrangements… or have some of you booked your own flights and then been reimbursed for the costs later? One of these OVs is just within driving distance, so I can make it happen even if transportation is not paid. These coaches are currently in season with their, and I don’t want my kid or I to appear “high maintenance” so we would prefer not to ask the coach in case we are worrying about nothing. However, if these OVs fall through, my kid is turning down or delaying other OV offers which are currently not as appealing but which would be appealing if these two other OV offers fall through. Add to the mix a great unofficial visit over the summer with a coach who asked for early read supporting materials to submit to admissions, was given them immediately (a month ago) and who has subsequently failed to communicate. Is this normal this time of year?
So for comparison, who else has current XC/track OV offers, and of those, who has already had the schools make transportation arrangements and how was that worked out? Are there many coaches out there failing to communication and should we assume that a month lapse means they are no longer interested or merely that the admissions department is still conducting the early read? I am not sure that I fully understand the timing of these things. Thanks!
I think it is fine to say to the coach at the school where you’d need a big merit award just that, that son can only consider that school if the merit money is there. They understand and most want a student who is getting that merit money.
Yes, thank you @twoinanddone, I have told my kid that as well. It is difficult at this moment to find time for all the visits. It is a good problem to have in some regards, but I wish the interested schools would confirm travel arrangements so I would not have to worry it. If my kid pushes back the merit school and does not take the OV offered, then I fear that may reduce the chance for any possible merit or athletic aid from that school.
@Sam-I-Am the coach will arrange with their travel coordinator and email the flights (for you-know-what school). If coach has your Ds dates then be patient as he has to work with the travel coordinator. The airport is very close to campus, so she will get picked up by the coach. I hope you already have received your FA estimate from them. Good luck and hope all goes well!!
Just to add: it’s a very busy time right now with school starting next week. There’s orientation for the new athletes plus medical clearances and then team pictures and meetings. The coaches are prioritizing those tasks right now. Just know that the timing will be when football season gets underway because I’m sure the coach wants the recruits to attend a football game and not coincide with homecoming or parents weekend. Also keep in mind that hosts are new freshmen athletes so they need time to acclimate to school before hosting a recruit.
PM me if you have more concerns 
Merit awards should never be reduced because of athletics, but some schools do require that you choose either merit or athletic, you can’t get both. That’s another question that should be asked before you use an OV on a school that just isn’t affordable.
Thanks @CALSmom and @twoinanddone! Good comments! :-bd
@Sam-I-Am For our daughter it worked both ways on OVs…for several we made the flight reservations and then emailed them to the coach who had a check cut for reimbursement and for some they completely made the flight plans and let us know what they were. For one where she had 2 OV offers to schools only 45 minutes away, we coordinated for her to fly in, be greeted by one school’s coach and visit that school for 2 days, then be driven to the other school for that OV. That coach then drove her to the airport to fly home. The two schools split the price of air fare.
We did not have any offers in hand before the OVs. Some coaches made offers at the final meeting at the end of the OV and some wanted to wait for our daughter to have time to think about her visit before they called or emailed an offer.
Our daughter just began her freshman year and has been overwhelmed with all the meetings, physical, head shots, compliance training, etc. that I can’t imagine coaches having much spare time right now. So, that is a consideration when dealing with coaches. Of course, most schools don’t begin classes quite as early as she is!
@jumpermom, thanks for sharing your D’s experience! I will ask to read the communications my kid received so that I can make sure that I am not supposed to make the travel arrangements myself. Good luck to your daughter with her first year at college!
@Sam-I-Am, we are going through the same with our son. We have 2 OV’s booked and still waiting on one more that requested his NCSA number, etc. The one OV we have coming up they told us we would have to pay for our transportation, but they would put him up and give him meals. The other 2 are within driving distance, but our son had to apply to one school (D3) before they would do an OV. It is interesting how this all works and we are learning as we go along. I will say that I check my sons email daily now because he receives so much from different schools and he “misses” some important stuff. He is not as detailed as some students:) We also have only had one school discuss $ on an OV. Not sure what the upcoming ones will do. Good luck to you and your daughter.
@pnichols341, thanks for that info. OV invites are still coming in to my kid which is both surprising and encouraging. I would have thought teams might be set by now. I guess not, and that is good. Still, only one school actually sent flight info to choose from. Good luck to your son and please share further details on this thread if you like!
Hi I need help, I am really interested in this school its a d2 school and the coach reached out to me the summer before my senior year, and I was all for it up until recently when I have been having a mixture of anxiety and respiratory problems. I have always loved running xc but im not sure I can continue, what should I do?
Hard to say without knowing a little more. Assuming this is for college next year, have you applied to the school yet? Do you need coach help to get admitted?
If you are still planning on running and want to go to the school, I would reach out to the coach and just say if you are or have applied for admission and let him/her know you are still interested in attending. Keep you name in the mix and tell them that you have not had a good XC season due to respiratory problems. I wouldn’t share too many details but just let him/her know it is not a severe injury.
If you are a distance runner, for D2, it is likely you will need to run both track and XC. If you are a middle distance runner, you may have the option to skip cross country, depends on the coach’s philosophy. What track events do you do? If you are going to compete in indoor, end the email with the commitment to send in some info when the season starts. See what kind of response you get.
i don’t know if this is the right place for this but I have not bean able to get a clear answer I’m a sophomore boy and i ran 16:47 3 mile XC and was wonder if thats good enough for d2/d3
@“Henden 105” , it’s not just about only being a Sophomore as lots of new runners never get faster than their initial times. That doesn’t meant that with continued training you won’t continue to improve, but it does mean that it’s too early to tell - that will happen on the track in the Spring of Junior year.
Also coaches rarely look at XC times, unless they are phenomenal, as every course is different.
If you ask today where a 16:47 3-mile XC time would put you, it would really depend on the school as a top D2 or D3 schools would be looking for much faster times.
Keep having fun running, stay committed and stay healthy as these will enable you to achieve your best!
I believe that time of 16:47 is excellent and “yes” you are good enough for d2/d3. Now zero in on the schools you are interested in. Fill out their online questionnaires. Update the questionnaires as you get better results. Spring of junior year is a big deal, but you want to create and maintain connections with coaches before then. Who knows, you might be injured that season so show interest now. Your sophomore track season will get you some standardized results, because as @Chembiodad points out, coaches prefer to have track times to better compare recruits. If you don’t get a response to questionnaires, follow up with a resume and email later. Good luck!