Is it better to be a d3 champion or an average d1 guy

Using the word, "it" makes you sound like a MORAN.

In order for us to answer your question, you will first need to tell us what "it" is.

The correct version of this question is: would you rather be a: 14:15 5k or 4:06 D3 natl champ or a 14:15 5k or 4:06 D3 runner (taking an aprox time that could make you a d3 champ)

As a former d3 runner the answer for me is obviously a d3 national champ. If you care about having the best collegiate running experience go D3. If you'd rather tell people you ran D1,finish mid pack in the 3rd heat of a race at Stanford, or maybe be around future pro runners and consider yourself on the same level as them even though you're not... then go D1

Yeah! National champ from North Central or Wartburg or Loras or Wisconsin LaCrosse. Or, get to travel the country and get enough school gear to last a lifetime and get free food and free medical care and free massages and a degree from Wisconsin or Michigan or Oregon. Oregon is not a high academic school but your resume from there as opposed to one of those other schools that nobody outside of the running community has ever heard of?

Talent beats training wrote:

Yeah! National champ from North Central or Wartburg or Loras or Wisconsin LaCrosse. Or, get to travel the country and get enough school gear to last a lifetime and get free food and free medical care and free massages and a degree from Wisconsin or Michigan or Oregon. Oregon is not a high academic school but your resume from there as opposed to one of those other schools that nobody outside of the running community has ever heard of?

Up to this point, college attendance is so over saturated in some disciplines that you need grad school for some jobs anyway. You could go to one of those undergrads and get into a grad school on the same level as Wisconsin or Michigan or higher, and employers would pay more attention to your grad education anyway. That's what I did (I wasn't a D3 champ though). Not entirely sure I would repeat if given the chance to do it again, but I think it's a viable option.

If you’re D3 Champion in the mile you probably run around 4:05.

If you’re an “average” D1 runner you probably run 4:20.

So it’s better to be a D3 champion since you have the faster PR. There are so many kids that run for D1 teams that really don’t run that fast and don’t belong out there to begin with. Syracuse is a major D1 school and they have some sprinters that run 400s in the 57s. 57 for the 400 is obviously pathetically slow to run in college at any level but these guys are still on the team and probably tell people they “run” track at Syracuse. But if they ever meet or talk to any runner it’s probably awkward and embarrassing for them since they are that incredibly bad and really don’t belong running in college.

If the question was phrased would you rather be a 1:49 D1 runner or a 1:53 D3 all American I would pick the 1:49. Both are solid times but at least for me I’d rather run fast times. The extra awards (D3) or being able to say I run in the ACC (D1) don’t really mean anything. At the end of the day the clock doesn’t lie.

Talent beats training wrote:

Yeah! National champ from North Central or Wartburg or Loras or Wisconsin LaCrosse. Or, get to travel the country and get enough school gear to last a lifetime and get free food and free medical care and free massages and a degree from Wisconsin or Michigan or Oregon. Oregon is not a high academic school but your resume from there as opposed to one of those other schools that nobody outside of the running community has ever heard of?

Most people have heard of Johns Hopkins, U Chicago, and MIT. The majority of D1 schools are closer to North Central academically than, say, Hopkins.

As for gear and other goodies -- I trained and raced for four years. That was what mattered.

Who gets more laid?

North Central has an average ACT of 24. 95% of Power 5 schools have a higher ACT. When I talk about D1, I don't include the fake D1s in the discussion.

I agree. Too many fake D1 schools that should be D2. They think playing in a conference that gets into March Madness is the best thing for the athletic department. That playing football in D1 brings students to the school. Then get beat up by Alabama in a powder puff game.

Talent beats training wrote:

North Central has an average ACT of 24. 95% of Power 5 schools have a higher ACT. When I talk about D1, I don't include the fake D1s in the discussion.

God there is nothing worse on LRC when every thread becomes an academic prestige pissing contest.

Talent beats training wrote:

North Central has an average ACT of 24. 95% of Power 5 schools have a higher ACT. When I talk about D1, I don't include the fake D1s in the discussion.

So NAU is a fake D1?

Dear Nutsack McGee,

I am sorry but I am going to have to correct you. You are criticizing someone for using “it” and insulting them for doing so by calling them a “MORAN”. The fact that you are trying to insult their intelligence but have managed to misspell the insult while also using all caps reflects terribly on you and your level of intelligence. It’s not a typo. You actually think it is spelled that way. Unless you are trying to call him an Irish surname then it is spelled “MORON”. Spelling a common 5 letter word wrong while insulting someone makes you come off like an IDIOT. See this fun article for an explanation of Idiot, Imbecile and Moron.

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/03/the-words-moron-imbecile-and-idiot-mean-different-things/

This is easy, there are no D3 schools with football/basketball programs of any significance. Go D1 so you don't end up with a degree from some crappy school with no sports teams and have to tell people your a fan of X b/c you always liked them but didn't actually go there.

2:18 wrote:

I agree. Too many fake D1 schools that should be D2. They think playing in a conference that gets into March Madness is the best thing for the athletic department. That playing football in D1 brings students to the school. Then get beat up by Alabama in a powder puff game.

There are no "fake" D1 schools, or D2, or D3. They meet the requirements for those divisions.

Bonus points: What are the requirements to be in those Divisions?

Alan

D1 is a higher league than D3.

End of story.

MAGAKAG

I won plenty of races in high school. Give me the shot to mix it up with the best, please. I don't need JV competition.

Would rather be a D3 national champ.

Let's be real, outside of the running community, no one in the real world cares about running.

If you tell someone you were D1, they probably think you were a sub 4 minute miler, 20x National champ and national record holder when in reality you probably coming in 60th at your conference XC meet.

But if you tell people you were a D3 national champion, they are still going to think you were fast.

The point is, if you tell the average person you ran in college, they are going to think you were fast regardless of the division you ran in.

The only concept of running that most people have is that a marathon is 26.2 miles (even then some people think a 5k= a marathon); Sub 4 in the mile is kind of a big deal and kipchoge ran sub 2 hours for the marathon.

Whichever place gives you the better college experience. You could have a totally different experience depending on what institution you attend and the people you are surrounded by. It would feel good to be worshipped by teammates for being one of the best in the D3 league, but the potential challenge and comradery in D1 is alluring. You never really know until it's over how your experience goes. It would be ideal to have your best experience in senior year going out feeling good but the other years Italy count for something and lasting memories as well.

Yes, fake D1. Ask almost anyone outside of this forum.