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[Program History][Program Philosophy][Recruiting Visit][MIT Information]
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Overview

MIT's cross country and track and field program has a rich tradition of success on the Regional and National level, which stems from our team-oriented philosophy, dedication and pursuit of excellence in all we do.

Fill out the prospective student-athlete questionnaire if you are interested in the program.

Program History

    NEWMAC Conference:

    •Both men and women's track & field and cross country have won every championship since 2009

    New England Division III Region:

    •MIT, both men and women, have finished in the top three in every New England Division III Championship, for both Indoor Track & Field and Outdoor Track & Field since 2009, winning 26 of those championships. In Cross Country the women have won six championships since 2009 while the men have won three.

    •MIT has won 43 New England Division III Championships, and have finished 2nd or 3rd 47 other times since the meet's inception in 1980.

    NCAA Division III:

    •The Cross Country team has made numerous appearances at Nationals, placing as high as 2nd in 2014 and 3rd in 2011, 2015 and 2018.

    •The Indoor and Outdoor teams regularly qualify individuals for the NCAAs, and have produced 386 All-Americans and 21 National Champions, with teams placing as high as 2nd.

    •In 2011, 2015 the Women's program earned the Vercauteren Award as the top Track & Field, Cross Country program in the country for Division III.

    •MIT's Academic All-Americans in Track and Cross Country are too numerous to count, gaining team and individual honors every season.

    •MIT's Cross Country and Track & Field program has 11 NCAA Elite 89, 90 Winners, more than any school in the country.

MIT women finishing 1st at Track & Field New England Division III Regionals 2018

Program Philosophy

    MIT Track & Field and Cross Country has enjoyed a rich tradition of excellence and has consistently been one of the premier NCAA Division III programs in the country. While our desire is to win every competition, our goal is to be competitive on both regional and national stages by focusing on our conference (NEWMAC), regional (New England Division III) and national (NCAA Division III) championships.

    Our program is team oriented and has its base in traditional rivalries and major invitational meets, where for the past quarter century we have a winning percentage over .900. Some of the more spectacular meets we compete in include the All-New England's (Division I, II and III) in each of our seasons, the annual trip to the Pre-National Invitational in cross country and the Spring Break trip we take to the warmer climate of California or Texas in track. We compete primarily against the best Division I colleges and universities in the New England area, but also meet several Division II and III colleges from around the Northeast as well. Each season culminates with conference, regional and national championships, where MIT has enjoyed much success.

MIT steeplechasers (Freed '18, Gilson '19, Bates '20) over the water barrier Track & Field 2018

Recruiting Visit

    If you are a high school student that is either in the application process or has already been accepted and have met our recruiting standards (see link below), one of the best ways to help make your decision to come to MIT and join our team is to visit during the academic term. It is important in making this visit that you set it up through Coach Taylor. This way, you ensure you get someone on the team to host you, which includes hanging out with team members and going to classes, practices and possibly a home meet.

    Recruiting and Walk-on Performance Marks

MIT Information

    MIT is arguably the best STEM university in the world, and as such is a great investment for later. All of our Track & Field / Cross Country graduates have multiple job offers, and most start off at over $90K. Our team enjoys a 100% acceptance rate into medical school and most, if not all, who choose to go to graduate school have full funding to do so.

    MIT is a member of the NCAA at the Division III level, emphasizing the importance of academics but precluding the offering of athletic scholarships. However, the Institute does have an excellent financial aid program to help offset the high cost of an MIT education. ROTC is also housed at MIT for a number of local colleges, boasting full scholarships in all four of the armed forces as well as the National Guard. In addition, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and summer internships cultivates and supports research partnerships between MIT undergraduates and faculty. One of the earliest programs of its kind in the United States, MIT's UROP provides the opportunity to do research at flexible hours while receiving a minimum of $11 per hour. This research will provide opportunities to receive potentially very lucrative summer internships. Diverse leaders in industry and corporations frequently visit MIT to recruit students for these summer internships with salaries reaching upwards of $30,000.

    One of the frequently asked questions about MIT Track & Field/Cross Country is: How am I going to manage both academics and athletics? MIT will not admit you if you have not proven you can handle a very full schedule and be successful at everything you do. MIT assumes you will be handling a full academic load, a UROP, as well as a sport or activity that takes a minimum of 20-25 hours per week. You would not be accepted if you could not do well in track and field/cross country and academics.

    One other tremendous benefit for MIT students is that from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, there can be no mandatory undergraduate academic exercises. This means there will not be conflicts between academics and athletics, allowing our student-athletes to study any academic program of their choosing.

    The facilities at MIT are among the best in the country. In cross country we race at Franklin Park, which has been the site for World and National Championships. Indoors, the Johnson Athletic Center has a six lane, 200 meter, Mondo rubber track including multiple jumping venues. Outdoors, Steinbrenner Track is an eight lane, 400 meter Beynon 2000 Hobart surface with multiple jumping and throwing venues. Many collegiate championships have been hosted on our facilities, including the 1997 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship.

Getting into MIT

    MIT will not compromise its academic integrity, so any student-athlete will need to gain admission through their academic merit. Successful student-athletes must be able to thrive in the academically rigorous environment of MIT while still participating in athletics approximately 20 hours per week. Minimally, a prospective student-athlete needs to be in the top 5% of his/her high school class. Typically, grades below an A- in math or science classes following freshman year preclude a student-athlete from gaining admission. Both Calculus and Physics must be taken by graduation from high school. For standardized scores, upper-700's in SAT math, and math and science SAT subject tests are expected. For ACT scores, a composite of at least 33 with math and science scores of 34 or higher are expected. If you feel this is a fit for you, please fill out the prospective student-athlete questionnaire.

    MIT has an early action admissions period that is non-binding and closes on November 1. The regular action deadline is January 1. You should go to the admissions web page and start a My MIT account. You will also be able to find the necessary requirements for admission. A few things to keep in mind: you must take calculus and the sciences, particularly physics, and these should be the most rigorous courses your school has to offer; you should do your best to get a job or internship in your field of interest for the summer in order to demonstrate the passion you have for your area of study. If you do not do the optional interview you will not gain admission unless MIT waives the interview.

Current Students Interested in Joining Track & Field/Cross Country

    If you are currently a student at MIT and you'd like to try out for the team, please contact Coach Taylor via e-mail. After that point, you can either schedule a time to meet with him in his office or stop by the track during practice. Bear in mind it is impossible to join the team once the season has started, so make sure you get this taken care of ahead of time to get your chance to try out for the team.

Other sources of information about MIT and Cambridge/Boston:

 

MIT-expectations

What to Expect at MIT

Most student /athletes interested in track and field / cross country at MIT have very similar questions and concerns. What does it take to get admitted to MIT? Is MIT only about math and science? How can I afford the cost of an MIT education? Doesn't MIT just have a bunch of nerds? What does it take to make the team? Will I have enough time to compete and take care of my academic responsibilities? What does MIT offer that is so unique? Why should I go to MIT?

What does it take to get admitted to MIT?

    Many questions can be answered by the admissions web page and by the data collected by the Office of the Provost on the classes that entered from 2003 through 2016. 40% of MIT admits are valedictorians. The average SAT I math score is over 760, but lower scores do get admitted. A well rounded, successful and driven student will stand a reasonable chance of getting admitted

Is MIT only about math and science?

    In addition to the core of science and technology, MIT boasts majors in 35 fields, including management, economics, humanities, history, literature, music and theater arts and many more. Students are required to take one HASS (Humanity, Art, and Social Science) class per semester and many students end up minoring in a non-technical subject. MIT is ranked first in the country in more fields within engineering and undergraduate business than any other school in the country, and is ranked #1 yet again among graduate schools. Special Reports and a backgound of MIT can be found at http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/reports.html.

How can I afford the cost of an MIT education?

    Tuition for 2018-2019 is set at $51,832, with the full cost of tuition, fees, room and board costing $70240. MIT's admission is need blind. In addition to an excellent financial aid program, MIT offers ROTC on campus. Other means of offsetting the cost of an MIT education can be found in the numerous jobs and research opportunities. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), which gives students the opportunity for excellent research while getting paid for it, and summer internships, where many track and cross country participants find excellent employment in their fields for up to $30,000 and more, sometimes including a stipend for housing. In addition, the starting salaries of MIT graduates often makes the cost of the MIT education a bargain in the long run. Additional information can be found at the Career Services Office. MIT also has a financial aid calculator that can accessed here.

Doesn't MIT just have a bunch of nerds?

    The reason the track and field team has a 90% yield for admitted student/athletes is that those who visit see that the rumors of thick glasses held together with tape, and pocket protectors in sight are not at all accurate. Visitors see student-athletes excelling academically as well as in track and field, and having time for a social life in a city that has a great deal to offer to MIT and the many other colleges in the area. MIT students are driven to succeed and do so in every part of their lives. The best education / athletic experience possible is difficult to turn down.

What does it take to make the team?

    In order to make the cross country or track teams at MIT, the coaching staff needs to see the desire, dedication and ability necessary to contribute to the team's success. Generally, that translates to 20-25 individuals for cross country and 45-55 for track and field. If the athletes do the off season work that is asked of them and demonstrate adequate competitiveness relative to the team, they will make the team.

Will I have enough time to compete and take care of my academic responsibilities?

    Every season, MIT track and cross country qualifies as one of the Academic All America teams, usually in the top 10. The student-athletes at MIT not only do well with athletics and academics, but many take part in a UROP as well. What will generally not work is overloading courses (more than the typical four per term) or joining additional organizations. Most MIT admits have demonstrated the ability and organizational skills to handle challenging workloads in high school. In fact, athletics helps budget time better. Annually, the GPAs for the cross country and track teams are as good or better than that of the average student at MIT, consistently at 4.5-4.6 on a 5.0 scale, and there are no easy majors at MIT.

What does MIT offer that is so unique?

    In addition to the cutting edge research opportunities with some of the brightest minds in the world, the academic challenges that will prepare graduates to be leaders of research and technology in their respective fields, the most athletic opportunities for any college in the country, the single, most unique piece of MIT is the networking and collaboration available with a collection of the brightest minds in the world. Many start up companies are formed through the friendships and connections established at MIT

Why should I go to MIT?

    Why not? There is no better investment in your career than an MIT education. Educational, athletic and cultural opportunities are more plentiful at MIT and in Boston than anywhere else. Contact Coach Halston Taylor for a visit and you will undoubtedly be convinced MIT will be the best choice to continue your education and athletics career.