Dear Prospective Student-Athlete:
We recognize your cross country performance as one that could contribute to the success of our program. If you are interested in MIT, we encourage you to go to the MIT Track and Field Recruit Form and submit an information profile.
We have an excellent year-round combined Men's and Women's program, arguably the most successful of all MIT sports. MIT competes at the NCAA Division III level, which precludes 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 invites undergraduates to participate in research as the junior colleagues of Institute faculty. Diverse leaders in industry and corporations frequently visit MIT to recruit students for summer internships with salaries reaching upwards of $30,000.00.
A frequently asked question about MIT Track and Field/Cross Country is: How am I going to manage both academics and athletics? MIT takes into account when accepting students that each student is qualified for an extra curricular activity, which is the equivalent of an intercollegiate athletic team. You would not be accepted if you could not do well in track and field/cross country and academics. ( Frequently ask questions )
Our program is team oriented, and has its base in traditional rivalries and major invitational meets, where for the past quarter century have a winning percentage over .900. Some of the more spectacular meets we compete in include the All-New England's at Franklin Park, our home course, the annual trip to the Pre-National Invitational in cross country and the alumni funded spring break trip we take to the warmer climate of California or Florida. We compete primarily against the best colleges and universities in the New England area, but meet several Division I, II and III colleges from around the Northeast as well.
Each season culminates with conference and regional championships, where MIT has enjoyed much success. We have won 17 New England Division III Championships, and have finished 2nd or 3rd 29 other times since the meets inception in 1980. The Cross Country team has made numerous appearances at Nationals, placing as high as 8th. The Indoor and Outdoor teams regularly qualify individuals for the NCAAs, and have produced over 130 All-Americans and 14 National Champions, with teams placing as high as 2nd. MIT's Academic All-Americas in Track and XC are too numerous to count, gaining team honors every season. In 2007 the MIT Men's Cross Country team had the highest GPA of any NCAA team in the country.
The facilities at MIT are among the best in the country, with both indoor and outdoor track venues. 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 renovated six lane, 200 meter, Mondo rubber track including multiple jumping venues. Outdoors, Steinbrenner Track is an 8 lane, 400 meter Mondo track with multiple jumping and throwing venues. Many collegiate championships have been hosted on our facilities, including the 1997 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship.
I hope you have continued interest in MIT and our programs. If you wish to track our progress, or if you want to look into our history or statistics, you can view our web site at: MIT Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country .
If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me at the office hwtaylor@mit.edu , or (617) 253-4918.
Good luck with your final season(s), and the admissions process.
Sincerely yours,
Halston W. Taylor
Director of Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country