<p>I’m a track runner, fairly fast and experienced in multiple events. I’m a sprinter primarily, but have experience in the hurdles, which I plan on perfecting in college. My times (probably the most important consideration) are 48.6, 10.9, and 22.1, for the 400m, 100m, and 200m respectively. After some research I’ve realized the admission stats for high profile recruits at Ivies are a lot lower than that of the general admitted class. So I’m considering taking a gap year, and pursuing OVs at HY & P as well as Columbia, and probably some competitive pubs for scholarship consideration and fall-back. In order to this however, I’ll have to take a year off and apply after graduation, because this is a very recent ambition of mine.</p>
<p>So, basically I was wondering if coaches, or admissions will hold it against me if I am applying as an unenrolled HS graduate? Also, if they’d consider SAT retakes, or SAT II’s after graduation?</p>
<p>Also, I got a D in basic art my freshman year. For the first two years my academic stats are pretty flimsy, which I why I shied away from Columbia. As a JR, I got a 4.0 (No AP offerings) in 8 different classes. Overall I have a 3.5, and am 30/80 at a very poor public HS. My SAT I is a 1300, with a 700 CR/600 M.</p>
<p>I am also Captain of the track team, ASB president, and Running Club President. I’m state champion in the 400m, 4x100, and 4x400. I have received all-state honors every year since I was a freshman, and expect to see dramatic improvements this upcoming track season (and Summer) in the 400m.</p>
<p>Will coaches take improvements as a senior seriously? And will college admissions give me the stink eye because of my poor academic performance (D) as a freshman and my failure to apply as a HS student?</p>
<p>You’re a current senior? Have you applied to any colleges?</p>
<p>Have you considered a PG year at a prep school with a strong record of getting athletes placed at the Ivies. Depending on whether your 3.5 GPA is weighted or unweighted, you have an ballpark Academic Index of 195 to 203. Your challenge is somewhat shaky credibility due to soft grades earlier in your career. A number of the New England boarding schools have both coaches and counseling staff with ongoing, personal relationships with the Ivy coaches and Ivy admissions officers. They serve the role of validating your maturity and ability to do the work at the an Ivy.</p>
<p>The crux of this is starting now to engage both Ivy coaches and prep school coaches. You are late for normal prep school admission, but if you are desirable enough, they will work around your deadlines. There is a local kid whose recruiting got off track. He had received early interest from a couple of Ivies. When a commitment to another D1 school went awry, he re-engaged one of the Ivies, who helped him start a discussion with one of the HADES prep schools. He is prepping next year with a path to admission to the Ivy that was interested in him.</p>
<p>Good luck in your quest!!!</p>
<p>You should talk to the coaches. While your track stats look like they would make you recruitable (assume all times are FAT), your SATs and especially your class rank are a bit low. How did you do on your SAT IIs? </p>
<p>We know of student who was offered LLS to HYP, couldn’t decide, lost them, and reapplied the following year and received an LL. </p>
<p>Much may also depend on what you do during the GAP year. An impressive gap year may help out on the stats.</p>
<p>My SAT IIs don’t exist, because I wasn’t required to take them for any of the colleges I applied to this year. So, if I do go the gap year route, should I take them before I graduate? Or could I take them in October of 2011 with no penalty? And I was thinking I could increase my AI that way, by studying for and retaking the SAT I after I graduate. Also, I expect my times to be considerably faster this season, making me a more desirable recruit. As for what I’d do during my gap year, I’d be working on, and studying art. I plan on sculpting, and painting a lot during the summer, and participating in the Junior National Track Championships, as well as the USATF Jr. Olympics, and making finals at Nationals. My family is also pretty poor, and we live in the country. I could help raise money for college and the family by helping fell trees and maintaining our tree farm. </p>
<p>So if I successfully improve scores, get a solid 4.0, and some high scoring independent study APs this semester, improve my times, and place at the national championships, will all of this be considered in my application when I apply next year?</p>
<p>Linoceros, you’re in a bit of a gray area because there are usually two tracks for the post-grad year that don’t involve starting college. One is the gap year; typically kids are already admitted to their college of choice, and just put off starting for a year by officially deferring their admission. Since you haven’t been admitted to the school you really want to go to, this isn’t viable. Transfer spots are almost nonexistant, so you shouldn’t count on that, and if you compete in your sport at the first school, then you have to worry about losing eligibility for long periods of time.</p>
<p>The other track is the 13th year/Prep PG year many kids, especially athletes use. You could then improve your GPA, test scores and track times, while applying to your target schools. This also doesn’t sound like a very viable option to you because of expense. </p>
<p>I think you should email your question to a current track coach at one of the schools on your list (like Columbia). Your times are good, and what is compelling about your story is that you seem academically qualified, and your allusion to rural life makes me think you may also fill a niche if you’re from an underrepresented state, or have a somewhat nontraditional and interesting life. </p>
<p>Start asking your questions at admissions and coaching offices, and see what they say. Best wishes.</p>
<p>Your results and your scores go hand in hand. An ivy coach will try to stretch a bit for the best prospects. At the moment, you look recruitable to an outsider, but your AI would be borderline. If your times go down significantly there would be less pressure from the coach for a higher AI. If you feel there are SAT II tests you can take over the next few months and score over 700, this would work greatly to your benefit. </p>
<p>In any case, if you will really only be applying next year, I note that my son did not even start contacting coaches until the end of June prior to his Senior year.</p>
<p>I repeat though, even now your times make you recruitable. It would make sense to start the ball rolling with the coaches sooner rather than later. They will have their own suggestions.</p>
<p>Thanks, so much for the help so far guys.</p>
<p>I wish I did more research and discovered what a PG was earlier in the year. Since most of the deadlines have passed for preps, do you know of any relatively good PG schools with a rolling, or later testing and admission date? </p>
<p>Of course, they are very expensive, but do they tend to offer substantial financial aid? My family makes 50,000-60,000 a year with 4 children. So we’re pretty poor, but after looking into PG schools I feel like it would be a good option for me, considering a large amount of PG students are athletes with similar goals as me.</p>
<p>Trackpop, where did your son end up doing track? What were his stats, times, and target schools if you don’t mind me asking? I’ve been talking with a Coach at Columbia, and he told me they often recruit athletes that take a year off, but they are “usually exceptional talent”. He said I fit the criteria, but said he would most likely only be able to give me a “boost” with my current stats. Would I still be eligible to receive more than that, such as a likely letter if I improve, and target schools that are in need of sprinters?</p>
<p>Also, it sounds like you think it’d be a good idea to contact coaches early. Should I send out emails to all of my target schools, and start being aggressive early, or should I wait a few months until the conclusion of the season and report my times with SAT II scores?</p>
<p>linoceros, I’d want to have some opinions from your target school coaches about how best to spend next year. PG year at school may not be critical. As long as you don’t enroll in college you won’t be a transfer. Harvard’s admissions website has an article about how much they value kids who have had real jobs, and come to school with some maturity and real life experiences, rather than burnt out and over-groomed. I would be asking the coach your questions: If I stay at home next year, retake the SAT in the fall with some serious prep, finish my senior year with a 4.0 and train and race in the open division at all-comer/JO/Nike track meets this summer to stay sharp, would you look favorably on me in the fall? You sound like someone who might have the self-discipline to train for a year, earn some money, and show up for college ready to work. I’d bet on you…</p>
<p>There’s no harm at all in contacting coaches now with your numbers and expressing how serious you are about these goals. Talk back and forth with them if you get the chance, or send them an update after you get your spring semester grades, finish your track season and have SAT IIs to report.</p>
<p>Best wishes.</p>
<p>You’ve received great advice above. I think you should contact the coaches now to see how they would react to a GAP year plan. As mentioned previously though, your class rank will hurt you. Also, I don’t think track recruits are given too much leeway with Ivy admissions standards unless they are ranked very high nationally. Your times are recruitable however. You might enjoy checking out the following websites to keep you motivated: [TFRRS</a> | Ivy League Indoor Performance List](<a href=“TFRRS | Ivy League Indoor Performance List”>TFRRS | Ivy League Indoor Performance List) and [HepsTrack.com</a> - Ivy League Track & Field](<a href=“http://www.hepstrack.com%5DHepsTrack.com”>http://www.hepstrack.com) Make sure you have a backup plan though…any runner is one achilles or IT band away from missing a season. Best of luck to you and keep us updated.</p>
<p>Again, I’d like to thank you guys, and gals for giving me your opinions, and support. </p>
<p>I will start to contact coaches at all the schools I listed, and see what I can do to distinguish myself from other applicants during my gap year. I plan on competing through the Summer, like you said riverrunner, and have been checking out the websites you linked Mini Van. They were very encouraging, and I think I will compare their results with my own marks to keep me motivated. </p>
<p>I’m very excited for the next few months and will tell you all how it goes, for better or worse, at the end of my search.</p>
<p>Best wishes, all of you.</p>