use track to get into good college, quit team

Do it. It's a dog eat dog world. By all means, go to the best school possible.

However, to be fair to the coach and team, I think you owe it to them to put in at least one season. Just let them know early that you don't think it's working out for you, so they can recruit your replacement.

Idiots everywhere wrote:

How are Psychology and English ridiculous?

Ask us again when you're trying to use one of these degrees to get a job.[/quote]

I attended a well known Ivy League law school and a very significant percentage of my classmates were English and Psych undergrad majors. That was 30 years ago, and most of those guys are either partners at major New York and DC firms, or federal judges. Worked out quite well for them.

My brother was a religious studies major at Stanford, and went on to another Ivy League med school, and then into a quite competitive surgical specialty. I'd say he is also doing quite well for himself, and he loved his undergrad studies.

It's true, of course, that an English major or psych major likely won't walk out of graduation into the job or his or her dreams. But for many of us, our educations are not over at age 21. And believe it or not, not all of us want to be engineers.

I would advise against the fraud. However, just as a matter of educational reality, if the school is really highly competitive, getting in may be harder than staying in. For some Ivies, etc., once you clear the admissions hurdle, there is enough grade inflation that you can be fine. Nobody pays $50k+ per year to make a 2.6 GPA.

Lance cured me wrote:

Do it. It's a dog eat dog world. By all means, go to the best school possible.

However, to be fair to the coach and team, I think you owe it to them to put in at least one season. Just let them know early that you don't think it's working out for you, so they can recruit your replacement.

I would normally say 'no' to such shenanigans as the OP proposes, and I do believe in trying to maintain personal integrity.

However, I work at a university and if there's one thing I've noticed, it's that coaches and athletic departments have no scruples. They will absolutely screw over a student athlete with nary a blink of the eye. Therefore, I think it's fine to play this game.

troot wrote:

I'm a HS senior and I'm not sure if I want to run track in college or not. I am only going to run in college if I go to a certain school that has been recruiting me. Without the track recruitment, there is not way (academically) I could get into this very competitive school. However, I don't really want to run in college.

Is it possible to commit to this school, quit the team and continue going only as a student?

How long would I have to stay on the team?

Of course it is possible to commit, and quit. Why do you think it is acceptable to be so dishonest and to use others for some perceived personal gain? Integrity, character, honesty? If you are ill-prepared to succeed in this highly academic environment you should not attend. You should seek to find a good fit for yourself academically and otherwise. (by the way, if offered athletic scholarship, that will go away when you quit, so can you afford the university on your own?)

I have seen the fall-out from both sides at a very prestigious university. Far too many runners quit after a year or less, some stay in school and some transfer. It happens every year. And I do mean quite a few. It also happens that numerous qualified and talented students are not admitted, as these places are taken by students, like yourself, who have an advantage due to recruiting. It is one thing to do your absolute best and still not be a huge contributor, but to go in knowing you are going to quit is unconscionable.

On a bit different note:

There needs to be a better screening procedure that at least increases the likelihood that recruited athletes are going to truly succeed in school and in their sport. It is especially troubling when the coaches don't even have to use an athletic scholarship; they can rely upon need based financial aid to pay for a pretty good but not great athlete that rounds out their roster, use their recruiting influence in the admissions process, and effectively take a space away from a truly deserving student. The coach and the admissions officers are complicit in this injustice. So, HS senior, maybe you are just part of a system that actually works for a few lucky ones. Starting now, you have to decide how to live your life.

not so bad wrote:

Idiots everywhere wrote:

How are Psychology and English ridiculous?

Ask us again when you're trying to use one of these degrees to get a job.

I attended a well known Ivy League law school and a very significant percentage of my classmates were English and Psych undergrad majors. That was 30 years ago[/quote]

DING DING DING. That was 30 YEARS AGO! When having a college degree actually meant something in itself.

Try doing that today.

So you're saying that some people who get undergraduate degrees in some of these majors sometimes go to prestigious professional schools and are then sometimes successful?

Excellent anecdote; thanks for that. Very insightful. You Ivy Leaguers truly are something special. I'm sure your parents money was well spent.

not so bad wrote:

I attended a well known Ivy League law school

Yes...they're all well known, you prat. Typical Ivy League graduate trying as hard as possible to make himself sound good.

Oh, you're talking about that Ivy League school that's WELL KNOWN??? I had no idea there was such a thing - please, tell me more about it; you're very interesting and your penis must be incredibly large.

Get into the best school you can however you can. 10 years after you graduate nobody will give a rats arse about whether or not you ran.

I would say go out for a season and see if its for you, cuz it is a little different so who knows?

I did not run but admired ppl on the team who did even if they weren't better than me, because it takes a lot of discipline and positively effects many non related parts of ur life.

But if u wanna just screw off go for it and see how it goes