Princeton Womens XC???

if you go to Princeton all you will do is run and study.

While your academics are not stellar, 4:51 and 10:23 are very good times and will almost certainly get you into any of the Ivy League schools. (You should also know the difference between descent and decent if you're going to go to one...)

You can always win or qualify for outside scholarships, but if you don't qualify for financial aid, you will not get money for being an athlete at any Ivy League. However, the education is well worth it.

The Princeton women's program is good, but has declined in the last couple of years. If I were you, I would look at the rising programs Columbia and, particularly, Dartmouth. Coach Mark Coogan has done great things at Dartmouth in only a year and a half. Abbey D'Agostino (sophomore) is one of the top athletes in the country (15:23 5000 this year). He's improved Alexi Pappas to 9:58 in the steeple, and they also have a good recruiting class including Christie Rutledge (2nd at NXN in 2010) and Dana Giordano (12th? at NXN and 3rd at NIN in 10:24 two mile). That program will be very strong in years to come, Coach Coogan is a great coach and guy, and it's tough to beat the undergraduate education, small college feel, and trails to run in Hanover. Just email the Ivy coaches, keep your options open, and I'm sure they'll be interested.

running gal wrote:

#1- Any info on the coaching style?...I want my college coach to be similar to my high school coach in terms of philosophy/training style as it has worked for me pretty well. My high school Pr's are 4:51 and 10:23. Does the coach have success with Milers on the track as well as XC?

#2- My family will not qualify for need based financial aid. It would still be nice to receive some type of scholarship. Is there absolutely no money given to athletes who don't meet financial aid requirements?

#3- I have a 3.9 GPA and 1920 SAT. While [decent], this would not get a regular student into Princeton. Will running get me in?

I used to coach in the Ivy League, but long ago--I'll try to answer as best I can.

#1- I know that Peter Farrell, the women's coach, used to be influenced fairly strongly by Arthur Lydiard's philosophy. Whether that's still true, 30 years later, I don't know one way or the other--coaches' emphases can change.

#2- Unless your family income is *well* into six figures, you may actually be eligible for need-based aid. The Ivies (all) are notorious for having very generous notions of "need"--for all their students, not just the athletes.

That said: in the Ivy League, there are no scholarships except those based on need, for anyone. But, as at other schools (Ivy and non-), need-based packages can be appealed based on one's particular circumstances.

[The Ivies are pretty consistent about not giving people extra financial-aid breaks based on athletic ability, however. Don't look for any "athletic" aid to get sneaked in.]

#3- Those running times, along with your good academic numbers, should get you in to Princeton. Based purely on a few anecdotal cases, I can affirm that Princeton gives some *major* admissions breaks to athletes--more than its super-selective reputation might lead you to think. You should be fine.

If Princeton's women were down a little in the middle-distance and distance area this past year, it was *only* a little. Over a period of years, they have established themselves as a consistently high-quality program in those events. (Other Ivy programs have done the same, including those at Cornell, Columbia, and Dartmouth.)

Good luck to you in your senior year and in college admissions.

--lease

Princeton has excellent women's milers. They've got a 4:18 1500 girl this year who just ran 2:03, and she was about your level in high school.

I don't know how much help you'll get, but based on the runners I know who got in, there's some decent assistance for athletes.

The Princeton women have been on the cusp of the podium with a few 5th place finishes at nationals.

As of now, This is the Ivy league scoop...

Good: Princeton, Columbia, Dartmouth

4th: Cornell- good at times but rather inconsistent

Disastrous: Harvard, Yale, Penn, Brown

I know someone whose daughter is there. Drop me a note and I'll pass it on.

They have had the same coach since the ice age.

yultide wrote:

As of now, This is the Ivy league scoop...

Good: Princeton, Columbia, Dartmouth

4th: Cornell- good at times but rather inconsistent

Do note that Cornell's women won the Ivy League ("Heps") cross-country title last fall. On the track, in 2011 they went 1-2 in the 10,000 and 3-4-5 in the 3,000m steeplechase; in 2012 they finished 1-3 in the former race and 2-3 in the latter.

Seems like you're good enough to take a visit - check it out for yourself!