Running at Princeton or Stanford

This is easy. Stanford.

Look at the results from each coach and program. If you're admitted into both or interested in both, talk to the coaches and go on visits.

I like Princeton more. Both have some issues with injuries and lack improvement for a few, but are very strong programs as a whole. Stanford is more liberal than Princeton. I like East more than West. Stanford gives scholarships.

Both schools would be great to have a degree from, you can't go wrong here. Stanford is the answer if you also care about athletics.

I really wanted to go to PU when I was in high school, but having spent a summer there for research and living in the Bay Area, the answer is 100% Stanfurd.

Better weather, more running options, better running options, and frankly better academics. I know PU is supposed to have good academics, but first of all, 25% of PU's undergraduates are recruited student-athletes. That's a lot, and they have plenty of legacy kids and others with hooks. Second, east coast kids are more intense and whine more, so you're going to have to deal with more BS from your classmates when it comes time for grades (although maybe they just give A's at PU?). Third, Stanfurd has twice as many undergrads, which means there's more interesting stuff going on and you're more likely to find something even if you hate 90% of the other kids. It also has a bigger graduate program and more professors, which means there's more interesting research going on. Not necessarily better, just more options.

Also, Palo Alto > Princeton. Princeton is a very small town that shuts down very early. Palo Alto is a bit better than that, although it's stupidly expensive to live there. PU is close to NYC, Stanfurd is close to SF, and it's possible that you might travel to the big city frequently... but as a college student you probably won't.

gadsfsadf wrote:

(although maybe they just give A's at PU?)

At least Princeton tried, with the dearly departed grade deflation scheme. Unless things have massively changed in a small number of years, grade inflation is worse at Stanford than at Princeton. Results vary by discipline, of course.

Also, who the hell calls it PU?

I'm assuming your male. And you want to develop as a runner?

This is easy. Princeton.

How many national champs has Vig coached on the men's side? A lot. Manzano, Andrews, Hernandez, etc. Let me look it up on the media guide. 9. 6 at Texas, 2 at UVA and even 1 at Princeton.

How many has Milt coached? 1? Fisher. Check his bio out. It's hilarious. All it talks about is how flotrack and milesplit rank their recruiting class as #1 in the country every year.

Do the research yourself:

Vig vio:

http://goprincetontigers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=5132&path=mcross

Milt bio:

https://gostanford.com/staff.aspx?staff=275

ivy league grad wrote:

I'm assuming your male. And you want to develop as a runner?

This is easy. Princeton.

How many national champs has Vig coached on the men's side? A lot. Manzano, Andrews, Hernandez, etc. Let me look it up on the media guide. 9. 6 at Texas, 2 at UVA and even 1 at Princeton.

How many has Milt coached? 1? Fisher. Check his bio out. It's hilarious. All it talks about is how flotrack and milesplit rank their recruiting class as #1 in the country every year.

Do the research yourself:

Vig vio:

http://goprincetontigers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=5132&path=mcross

Milt bio:

https://gostanford.com/staff.aspx?staff=275

Running your best is about getting opportunities. One school goes to xc nationals every year and finishes in the top half of the field, one school also hosts multiple high-level track meets for you to have the opportunity to run fast. How does Princeton do at nationals?

Good point. If there is one thing that comes to mind when i think of the east coast, it is their extreme lack of meets within an easy travel distance.

Palo Alto on the other hand is so conveniently located by all these other amazing track meets. It only takes 20 hours to drive to UW! Eugene is just 12 hours away, that is practically a home meet.

The other posters point is a good one about number of national individual champions. For somebody not at the top of their team, it doesnt matter that much if the team makes it to nationals, and those too individuals for whom nationals really would matter will make it to nationals anyway.

For everybody else, the easy drive to many meets from princeton will be beneficial over stanford's need to fly to everything that isnt a home meet. Stanford's top runners dont even go to Cal or Davis's home track meets, so they really do have to fly to every single meet they go to in track. In cross country, they will fly to every single meet now that Davis and Cal no longer host a meet.

As far as academics, it really depends on the major being pursued and also in desire to go to grad school. For most tech majors, stanford probably has the edge, but only if you take advantage of the money available for student projects. Otherwise it doesnt really matter.

I have to throw cost in again. If you are not that well off and not quite a national elite, it is a no brainer to pick Princeton because your cost will be minimal. As you move up the income chain and performance chain, Stanford becomes more attractive financially because they can give scholarships. They are quite deep so you will really have to be a national elite in order to get any type of meaningful scholarship.

Visit both and go where you want. Objectively speaking, both are great choices, but it's not really an objective decision.

My son ran for Princeton and had a great experience.

Can I chime in here with some advice. Relax. Does it really matter?

You are choosing between Princeton and Stanford. Both are great.

As a recruit, you don't know what's going to happen. You could be hurt tomorrow and never run again so think about things like, Do you want to go to school on the East coast and experience the seasons? Or West Coast? It blows my mind you don't talk about your potential major.

Do you want the pressure of if you aren't a top 100 guy nationally you aren't really helping at Stanford? Or do you thrive on that?