Snicklefritz

Here's the deal with MIT. You can have a social life, get good grades, and plenty of sleep. Pick two. Actually it isn't that bad. However, it's a very intense place and if you want to live and breathe cycling, race a ton, and get good grades and have some of these other things, it will take a lot of focus and discipline. At some other places, it won't take as much effort to fit everything in. If you've been in the Army for a while, you may already be used to the kind of intensity I'm talking about. I went to MIT for both undergrad and my PhD, so you're welcome to PM me if you'd like more info. or if anyone else does for that matter. I wasn't riding back then, but I was studying piano very seriously and would have to do crazy stuff to fit in my practice time - like being in the music room from 11pm-1am so I could get a decent piano to play on and still get my homework done.

Tommyp

Go to college for an education, then worry about riding. If the school you choose doesn't have a NCCA team, you can ride for another club or team or start a club. If they have a club, you might want to ride for another team anyways.

As for the D1 and D2 difference, they do participate in the same races (at least in CO) but it is pretty clear that most of the 'A' riders (or at least the good riders) are from D1 teams. In the NCCA, coaches and riders decide who rides the A, B and C categories, so it isn't as strict as the USCF categories.
I'm told that A=1/2, B= 3/4, and C=4/5. No D's in Colorado but I've only done a few C races and can't compare. Besides, in CO, we have the ACA, so things might be different already.

Barca

Come to CSU, I'll be there this fall.

UmneyDurak

BA, CS '05.

DannoXYZ 

BAH! You can sleep when you're dead! Party on!!!

Ostuni

if snuffleupagus played, say, soccer, and, after 4-years in the army, wanted to play college ball, he'd have to 'walk on' and hope to win a place in competitive tryouts... and at the larger schools with bigger programs, just getting the opportunity to tryout as a walk-on would be tough...

just curious as to how would it work on the cycling teams at some of the schools mentioned in this thread?

jbhowat

barca,

Yeah?

Have you gotten the cycling team info? What category are you planning on racing. CSU is I think the most well-represented team on Bike Forums with 2 members. CU may have us beat though, I dunno.

jbhowat

There are no try-outs for collegiate cycling. Everyone is welcome to race for the team. In some parts of the country there is D category for total beginners, which is probably going to be easier than cat 5 in the same area. C's is like cat 4/5. If you can do well in C's, you will be in the field for cat 4 in your area most likely.

Of course if you go to a better cycling school you may not make the nationals squad - which has limited positions and is determined by your ability and race results during the season. AFAIK al of the conferences now have an unlimited number of people in each category. RMCCC used to limit the number to like 8 or something, but they just got rid of that rule so now if there are 50 A riders on your team you can all race for points.

bigdraft

If you are planning on majoring in biology or one of the similar life sciences then I would suggest UCSD. While they haven't cleaned up too many national cycling titles they do have a good team and the surrounding area is ripe with good cycling teams and a great cycling community. The local terrain and weather make it one of the finest places to train. Not to mention they are also right on the beach so other college activities, like scoping the babes, is pretty good. But since your education should be your prime focus, UCSD is one of the top schools for life sciences in the country.

good luck either way

Ostuni

that's it: i'm gonna dust off my straw hat, take my 'joe college' sweater out of mothballs, get the beer mug collection out of the attic, steal a friend's car, and head off to do college again!

caloso

And don't forget Eric Heiden. There's a doctor who knows a little about bike riding.

eplbrooklyn

Another east-coast school would be Penn State.

2oz

If you're looking to stay in NC, and to put your riding ahead of your preferred major, Lees-Mcrae is what you want. It's a small liberal arts college that treats its cycling program like a varsity sport. Just look at their results from nationals. Failing that, App State. I'm sure they have a decent biology program, and the campus will put you right in the mountains, perfect for the training rides (Lees-Mcrae is also only a 30 min drive or so from ASU, so the two are interchangeable in terms of training ground). If Biology is a major focus for you, I'd say NCSU. They have a great Biology program, and a solid team that's produced a number of great riders.

Within NC those are your only major options. Wake Forest has a relatively new team, UNC's is barely existant, and so is Duke's (but I think if you were considering Duke, you wouldn't really be consulting us)

Barca

Well, now there's 3. How about we make it 4??

Snuffleupagus

Jersey South?

No thanks

Zurich

Here's another vote for IU. Good Biology program, just built a new science building, and the cycling is redonk. I got my BS in bio there ('04) and loved it.

nitropowered

IU, University of Wisconsin, Marian College, Michigan, Ohio State

urbanknight

That's true. UCLA has quite a large team and is near the ADT Velodrome and Encino Velodrome. I also see Stanford riders at the San Jose Velodrome sometimes.

joshdcu

I'll recommend U. of Maryland (College Park, MD) and Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA). Both schools are generally pretty good in the sciences and have cycling teams.

Maryland is in a large metropolitan area (DC/Baltimore) with a pretty strong racing scene, and Virginia Tech is basically in the middle of nowhere (Appalachian Mountains) with lots of beautiful scenery and good riding, too.

Maryland: https://www.marylandcycling.com/

VA Tech: https://www.cycling.org.vt.edu/

caloso

You can always tell a stanfurd man. But you can't tell him much.

UmneyDurak

urbanknight

lmao I almost went there but changed my major from engineering to music shortly before applying to schools. Not sure if I would have gotten in, though. I hear they accept applications by throwing a stack of them down a flight of stairs and picking the one that reaches the lowest step!

Demit

Penn State has a frist rate team and a damn good reputation. They do a lot of tack cycling too.

kingsfan4life

I pump myself up for this everyday

UmneyDurak

Sounds about right.

Anyway Snuff which one did you go with?