factors in choosing a school

A world-class athlete who is a mediocre student might legitimately have a different set of priorities, but for me, the top three factors would be academics, academics, and academics.

amen to that, brother

My factors back in the dark ages when I chose a school:

1. Academics

2. Coach

3. TEAM

The other things are just not as important. If your family does not have a lot of money you can take out loans and get financial aid.

my .02

Brian

As a denizen of the frigid Arctic, you might do well to consider a place where you can run outside in shorts in October.

Just go to Arkansas and win some NCAA titles

1. Academics - Most likely your degree is what will determine you success in life, not how fast you can run a 5k

2. Coach

3. Team - Stay over night

Money (I assume you are refering to scholarship money) should not be the main factor. Too many people end up going a school that isn't their best option because they go for the money.

Also, I would look at the meet schedule. Do you want to travel far away a few time a year between xc and track? Some schools tend to stay very close at home while others are all over the region and nation.

As a former college runner and current high school coach I have some strong opinions in this.

The biggest mistake runners make is going to a school because they offer a little bit of money. Don't be fooled choose a program that works best for you. Let me explain:

Most high school students are not going to be great runners at the college level. Even a smaller amount of those athletes that are great make it a career. Soooooo academics are very important, as they will shape what you decide to do for the next 70 years of your life.

After academics choose a coach/program that will help you develop as a runner. Does the coach has success developing kids who have ran as fast as you in high school? Running is obviuosly important to you so you want to see significant improvement in your performances. Make sure the coach can help you meet resonable and realistic goals.

Next i would consider how good your team is going to be. I always suggest going to a better team and being further down the depth chart than a lesser team where you are much higher. Running with better runners will make you better, you might learn some secrets too :)

Lastly, money is always a consideration. You need to be able to pay for the school you want to attend. I took out some studnet loans to be able to got to the school that I ended up going too. I am very happy with my decision and would do the same if I had to do it over again.

Hope this helps!

Tons of great advice on here! I'd like to just add a couple comments

By all means, place your academic priorities, however vague you feel they are at this point, at the top of the list. I agree with the many people who have placed the coach as the next item of business as that person has a lot to say about if you will enjoy the experience. Try as best you can to ascertain your compatibility with your potential teammates. Staying overnight is an excellent idea. It is at that point that most of them will tell you or show you what you want to be knowing before you commit to attending that school. You'll see what level of commmitment they have to school, running, and "extracurriculars." Some people want to be on a team that is really into running, some want to be in an environment that is not quite as "focused" on running etc. But, for the most part, the current athletes will tell you what you want to know. I've always found that another potential source of good info is the local high school coaches. They generally don't have any problem with telling it like it is eventhough some (as most groups do) will fall into the rumor mill/gossip trap. They are usually pretty objective and fair.

Good luck with your choice. It's not easy to decide!!

fletch,

this is why so many people from canada complain about athletes getting burnt out by the ncaa program. putting money first will have you in a less than ideal position unless the top programs are dishing it out.

SPONSORSHIP.

SCHOLARSHIP.

about academics and coach? not so important, depends on how you nurture yourself.

Most importantly you have to remember that when you choose a school you are also choosing a home. The academics and running might be great, but if you are unhappy with the location, the campus, and life in general at that school then you will have a miserable 4 years. After that the top priority on your list should be to find a school that combines good academics and a team and coach that you feel you will train and improve with. There are hundreds of schools that offer great educations, but not all of them that meet the standards you are looking for athletically, so find a school that overlaps. And remember you will be living there for four years.

Things happen.

Picture yourself at the school after a career-ending injury, or after the school drops track and XC. Consider how the experience will be (academics, location, atmosphere, students, etc.). Would you want to stay or leave? Pick the school that answers that question best.

thanks to all those who contributed. The reason I posted the thread was to try to figure out how to lure potential recruits to the college team. As I am already out of high school, our team was discussing how we might go about trying to get new recruits tom come to our team. Some excellent suggestions. We were discussing the fact that if we just gave them a bunch of money, then they'd certainly come; however, I think there would be much more than that. The question was raised...could a school giving little or no money to a decent high schooler compete with money-bags college in luring him/her to come? If so, how?

thank,

fletch

I'd have to say:

1.coach

2.team

3.academics/$$-tie

Of course it depends on the person.

I think sjm is right...I know that most people want to be politcally correct and say the academics (and I think they should be #1)but in reality, if someone was real honest, the coach is #1 and and all others can be put in almost any order...I have seen and heard of many many runners going to a school where they connected with the coach and the team...

fletch wrote:

The question was raised...could a school giving little or no money to a decent high schooler compete with money-bags college in luring him/her to come? If so, how?

thank,

fletch

Some of this would be playing up the school?s assets. Others would be consciously undertaken strategies.

1. The school?s academic reputation. Even schools not at the top have strong departments. Try to match up with runners with that particular academic interest.

2. Network of job connections after graduation.

3. Available summer jobs for runners, especially those with employers willing to accommodate runners? specific training needs. Especially good if they?re all together where team training can continue all summer.

4. A ?guaranteed? degree. This means academic support. The school I got my master?s from spent a long time in the top 5 in athlete graduation rate. They fielded a NCAA-tournament program because part of the recruiting spiel was that they?d get the kids out of there with a degree. And then they did it - not by simply awarding it, but by giving the support necessary to allow the kids to do it themselves.

5. Available hotties. Works for both genders.

6. Playing up a unique facet of the school?s atmosphere. For example, it may be a very tolerant campus for gays. You could then have an appeal to gay runners.

Point being, if someone?s only money-driven, you have no chance. But many are going to view the advantages of the whole package are going to give them after college, too.

I went through this last year, at first it was

1.School

2. coach

3.team

When i started taking visits it became

1.team

2.coach

3.school

Now the team you pick, the kids are gonna be your life time friends, so don't goto a school if you don't like the kids on the team. Then you've got to goto a place you think you'll get better, so the coach has to be good, and give you confidence. Lastly the School has to be in a place that you like, with a town you like, and the size of school you like. but before all that if you have a major, you have to make sure the major is at the school

Timo

It sounds like the team your with cares more about success

than coach/school. You may attempt all the above suggestions, but the key to the developement of the team

will be the coach identifying,attracting and finally

convincing the runner that will fit the program.

fletch wrote:

could a school giving little or no money to a decent high schooler compete with money-bags college in luring him/her to come? If so, how?

We finished 14th at NCAA's with 0 scholarship athletes. How?

1. Athletes still get need-based financial aid.

2. Everything about the school is excellent for a student-athlete except the lack of athletic scholarship money.

3. Presumably, most of the team was financially well-off enough that money wasn't a huge issue anyway.