Getting ignored by coaches with a 4:15 1600m

Only a 9:50? I would have run sub-9:20 in HS if I had 4:15 speed.

No. He wouldn't get any more interest at 1:56-4:15-9:30.

Have you run 1:55 or faster for the 800? 9:50 and 16:30 are times that 4:35 guys usually run not 4:15 guys.

Apply to D2 and D3 schools where you'll have a better chance to develop. D1 is greatly overrated.

SAVE $$$.

Go to your local community college. So much more affordable and you can develop.

Look for more mid major schools. Look for schools in the NEC, MAAC, mac, CAA etc.

Look for more mid major schools. Look for schools in the NEC, MAAC, mac, CAA etc.

If you're a mile specialist, look at conferences where you'll score and email them

Absolutely this - save some money, run JUCO or on your own for a year.

People aren't mentioning enough that it's APRIL (tomorrow) and this guy is a senior. You are late for LATE admissions. Run <1:55 and <4:10 and get yourself in position to apply and get recruited in the fall. There will be a lot more clarity on the NIL stuff at that point as well.

Yes it makes sense for average and dumb kids. But for smart kids, college can be cheaper than JUCO.

Good idea! Because college coaches and recruiting coordinators are unaware that Milesplit and Athletic.net exist.

I don't think most of you have any clue about the average division 1 program. I'm in Iowa. Yeah, 4:15 isn't going to cut it for scholarship at Iowa State. At Iowa, Drake, and UNI, you will get some attention. Division 1 doesn't mean just the top 10 schools in the nation.

Yeah with roster limits better runners are trickling down and this year is when a lot of programs need to get their rosters down so they're taking fewer recruits, never mind that it's april and most have their rosters mostly set for next year, also 4:15 as a senior plays a lot less than even last year. I would suggest focus on places you've gotten into or can get into, with your times focus on a good place for school not running.

Why would a coaches with a 4:15 1600m PR necessarily make you an offer?

Say you're a girl. You'll get full scholarship offers from every Ivy

Iowa won't take a 4:15 guy. I have a guy who ran 1:54/4:15/9:20 last year as a junior. A spot just opened at Iowa and he ran 4:13 indoor this season so Iowa allowed him to walk-on.

I agree. A 4:15 guy should be running 9:10-9:15. When I ran I did a lot of aerobic work and could add 20 seconds to my 1600 time and double (4:18 + 20s x 2 = 9:16).

As it stands right now, you have no negotiating leverage. What I would do is after you graduate HS, take a year to train more seriously on your own. Build a large volume base and incorporate a periodization training. Once you start to see gains from that, you can train more qualitatively with threshold oriented work. Run road races and open races in track wherever you can enter them. Do time trials. Find training partners with similar goals. Normally with a more individualized training program that doesn’t evolve around team goals, if you give yourself a year of full commitment to training you will see massive improvement. High School hinders most kids’ potential. There’s very few ideal training situations. A year to develop will do an athlete wonders.

If you can stay committed and get down to 4:05 and 14:10 your options will open up drastically. You still will not be great by any means, but most coaches will let you walk on, and some might give you some scholarship money. They’ll have you try out by having you run a workout with some of the scholarship athletes, doing a time trial, or having you run unattached in an open race if one is available.

From what you have described, you have some talent, but as it stands right now you are a small fish in a big pond. You need to develop your aerobic system and strength to get those longer distance PRs down. Start running a long over-distance recovery jog on Sundays for 2 and a half hours. It can be slow as snails. It’s been a proven way to give people the blood cell and capillary development needed to train to reach the next level.

You assume that he has parents who will support that. And even that plan has short deadlines. Coaches will sign next year's class in November so he would have to run some crazy track times this summer. There just aren't that many opportunities and it is even harder when not on a team.