I suppose this is obvious to most, but college is more than a training camp. The environment matters and not everyone aspires to be Rupp. A sub 8:55 3200m kid (peaking at 70mpw) who lives in the next town went to a 4yr school out east that I'd never heard of. He said he felt like it would be a good fit for him and when they signed another low-9 kid to train with it was an easy choice. And he's happy there. He would have hated Colorado.