Hi I’m an admitted student considering walking on for Cross Country/ Track & Field (women).
If anyone has insider information about the culture, time commitment, schedule, etc. would be great to hear.
I ran varsity for 2-3 seasons for all 4 years of HS. How would you compare UPenn/College Varsity track team compared to a HS varsity team (intensity, time)?
Also looking at the performance lists, I would definitely be one of the slower runners (1600m PR is 5:30 but with definite room for improvement. If I train hard enough I think I can reach the 5:15 walk on standard). The question is, even if I make the time, is it really worth being on the team?
With regard to intensity/time, expect to devote at least 20 hours per week. You have to decide whether it’s worth being on the team. It depends on how important it is to you, and you are the only one who can answer that.
Thank you. Do you happen to know if meeting the walk on standard is enough to make the team or if there are other requirements (other than time commitment)? The team looks like it’s getting more competitive over the years.
I’m not sure. Sorry.
My kid is a Penn athlete in a different sport. I would encourage you to reach out to the coach and have a conversation with him/her. Get a feel for the commitments as well as a gauge for your ability to be successful. They have the answers. In terms of time commit and intensity, if it’s anything like my kid’s sport, it is WAY more than high school. Further, I can’t speak for track/field, but the 20 hour estimate is appreciably under for mine in the out of season semester. In the in season semester, that number doesn’t even come close to the actual time spent.
I agree with the post above that talking with the coach is a great next step. Obviously only you can decide if it’s worth the time and effort, but if you look at team rosters, at the Ivies and elsewhere, you will see some walk ons who really value the team experience and the chance to continue with their sport, even if their marks are such that scoring at meets like the conference championships is unlikely.
Thanks so much for the information. The time commitment sounds like it may be problematic, but I’ll definitely contact the coach! 