A Bad Race?

Athletic Recruits
1

<p>So my friend has been receiving interest from Columbia as far as recruiting for track. His grades and test scores are relatively mediocre, especially for an Ivy, but he has a strong schedule and he is an excellent runner, running sub 4:20 miles and winning a few championship titles. The school is paying for his family to stay at a hotel for a night so he can make an official visit.</p>

<p>Total was the Millrose Trials in New York, which was very important to him, him being very nervous about it and knowing Columbia was watching. Well, I don’t know the details as I’ve only seen the time and haven’t heard back from him yet, but he ran almost 20 seconds slower than his best time, coming near last place.</p>

<p>Will this bad race hurt his chances? I can’t imagine how he’s feeling right now, as it was very important to him, but personally I myself would like to know how much this will affect his recruiting aspects for a school like Columbia. And what if he bounces back and does well again?</p>

2

<p>The coaches realize that anyone can have a bad race. It’s too bad when it happens in a high profile meet, but it shouldn’t be a big deal.</p>

3

<p>Not for nothing, but isn’t it a recruiting violation for the school to be picking up his family’s hotel room?</p>

4

<p>I believe they can pick up the lodging and meals tab if the parents accompany, but not the transportation (for the parents)</p>

5

<p>Please tell your friend not to worry. Something similar happened to my D last year at a Millrose qualifier. The coaches of her top choice Ivy had traveled to the meet to watch her run, and then chat with her afterward. She was perfectly AWFUL! Granted, she was coughing up a lung so it was obvious that she was sick, but still! And to make matters worse, she went on to have a pretty terrible indoor season in general, so it’s not like they could chalk that race up to some fluke or a bad cold. We were panicked. But we soon realized that the interest of coaches of that school and others hadn’t waned and it made no difference. Some of her other friends also had mediocre senior seasons too and did just fine with recruiting.</p>

<p>The coaches care about your PR’s and your potential. Please, tell the young man to relax. Besides, the Columbia coaches are super nice!</p>

6

<p>From Harvard athletics web site:
An official visit is any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the college or university. Before a college may invite you on an official visit, you will have to provide the college with a copy of your high school transcript and SAT, ACT, PACT, PSAT or PLAN score. The institution can pay for the following expenses: </p>

<p>•Your transportation to and from the college
•Room and meals (three per day) for you and your parents while you are visiting the school; and
•Reasonable entertainment expenses, which includes three complimentary admissions tickets to a home athletics game.</p>