politepersonRegistered UserPosts: 257Junior Member
To avoid confusion: 2:04 isn’t going to get you recruited but would be good enough to walk on some D3 programs. Most programs are looking for well under 2 just to start discussions about recruiting. To give you an idea of what it takes in your state, which you said up thread was NH: to get recruiting interest after your junior year, you’d need to be among the top 5 or so 800 guys in your state across all grades, give or take depending on the year. Most of those top 5 probably could run 2:10 in 9th grade with minimal training. So by all means go for it, but understand that it is an enormous challenge.
@sushiritto There is a kid from my school going to Dartmouth next year who ran a 3:57 in indoor this year, should be able to run similar this track season.
politepersonRegistered UserPosts: 257Junior Member
edited May 9
@MYOS1634 I don’t think many selective D3s are going to be interested in 2:04. MIT, Harvey Mudd, Nescac schools, etc., are going to want sub 2 for admissions support. Ivies want mid 1:50s or better. The 3:57 for the Dartmouth recruit is probably a 1500 time and is in line with what most Ivies would want. I’m guessing that kid is one of the best in the state. My use of NH as an example is just to communicate to the OP that he would need to be one of the very best in his very small pond to get interest. It’s fine to set that as a goal, but important to recognize it’ll take a lot of improvement.
ETA: Id look at past years top times for reference as the big meets haven’t happened yet this year.
I can’t believe that members of this forum have just advised a student who has already said he doesn’t like running to try track, as an implied easier path to admissions. There are THOUSANDS of other students with the same grades who love running and are willing to make the time commitment.
squ1rrel by all means try track to see if you like it, and maybe you have some natural ability, but it will not be any easier to gain admission as a track athlete. For guaranteed admission you will need to be a regional level/national level competitor, otherwise it is just a nice EC, and content for your essay. Even if you can attain a high-performance level, there will be little to no athletic money at the schools you are interested in, regardless of your grades. The only thing that makes track easier for recruiting purposes is that coaches do not have to see you perform, they just need to see your time/mark posted on the internet to know if you can succeed.
I strongly recommend you or anyone try T&F as well as other sports for the HS experience, being part of a team, program, friends, your own accomplishments, memories, etc. but do not try a sport for recruiting purposes alone and in this case, be realistic regarding T&F and recruiting. I had a D/S that was a top track recruit at D1 schools and all the top academics including all the Ivies but they were a State Champ and All American at the National Meet plus a very top student with a high GPA & top test scores. To get really recruited for track at a top school that can provide coaches support/slots, you typically need to be able to score points at college meets.
Generally speaking, try to see if you'd enjoy it and don't choose based on whether it'd make you competitive for whatever. Do something for it own sake - a quality colleges really want.
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800: 1:58-2:01
1,600: 4:32-4:35
ETA: Id look at past years top times for reference as the big meets haven’t happened yet this year.
Well our school just won states for both boys and girls track...
Dang maybe I really should consider track.
squ1rrel by all means try track to see if you like it, and maybe you have some natural ability, but it will not be any easier to gain admission as a track athlete. For guaranteed admission you will need to be a regional level/national level competitor, otherwise it is just a nice EC, and content for your essay. Even if you can attain a high-performance level, there will be little to no athletic money at the schools you are interested in, regardless of your grades. The only thing that makes track easier for recruiting purposes is that coaches do not have to see you perform, they just need to see your time/mark posted on the internet to know if you can succeed.