College Rowing: How Sports Can Help You Get Accepted

College Rowing: How Sports Can Help You Get Accepted

I can’t tell you how often students and parents ask me exactly what they need to do to get into Ivy League schools. As you well know, these schools are looking for the smartest and most talented individuals. In reality, there isn’t a simple answer or shortcut. There is, however, a brilliant strategy you can implement to significantly improve your chance of getting into a top school. That strategy is to start preparing for college rowing now.

By this I mean, if you are interested in sports, decently athletic, or just like being on teams, you should try to get recruited for a sport. Why? Because recruited athletes go through a different admissions process than other applicants. Instead of being read regionally in stacks with thousands of other highly qualified applicants, athletes’ applications are generally read by the “athletic liaison” in the admissions office. This is someone who has a close relationship with the coaches, gets prepped and briefed by these coaches before actually reading applications, and who even tells coaches what test scores, GPA, or extracurriculars/awards he or she needs to see in order to accept their athletes. To put it simply: it is easier to get into an Ivy League school as a recruited athlete. [1]

Now, I understand that sports aren’t for everyone. Sports like basketball, football, baseball, and soccer draw huge numbers of experienced players, which makes recruiting in them especially competitive. Less common sports can offer a more realistic path.

I think what people don’t understand is that there are a lot of Varsity sports offered at Ivy League (and other competitive) schools, and with that, hundreds of recruited athletes on campus. At many Ivy League schools, varsity athletes make up a sizable share of the student body. These are not just tall basketball players or muscular football players or child phenom golfers; these are archers, field hockey players, sailors, and students who do college rowing, people who you wouldn’t necessarily look at and think “wow that person must be a great athlete!”.

So, if you’re reading this early enough and are interested in getting recruited, here are some suggestions:

• If you are tall or broad, try heavyweight crew (rowing).
• If you are solid for your body-size or have good stamina, try lightweight crew.
• If you’re really small and petite, try being a coxswain. [2]
• If you love football but are undersized, try lacrosse.
• If you like racquet sports, try squash.
• Try fencing.
• If your family grew up with boats, try sailing.
• If you’re athletic but not fast enough to play soccer, try field hockey.
• If you’re solid and are open to contact, try wrestling.

This is not to say that the sports mentioned above are easy , by any means. Playing any sport at the collegiate level takes hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and physical and mental skill. The reason I chose these sports are because (1) they are less common and therefore there is less competition, (2) they don’t require a high-level of hand-eye coordination or athleticism, (3) they don’t take years of practice to master, and (4) they have solid presences at all of the Ivy League schools, especially college rowing! Ivy League rowing programs carry heavyweight and lightweight crews, so coaches need new rowers every year. They have a constant need for solid (but not big) applicants interested in college rowing.  

Once you’ve picked a sport, you should practice and work really hard at honing your craft, inside and outside of official “practice” time. You should be spending as much time as you would on any other “main” extracurricular activity (i.e. debate, student council, orchestra, theater), and I mean this seriously! In high school, I spent at least 3 hours a day playing basketball during the school week, probably about 5 hours on Saturdays and Sundays, and way more during the summers! That’s A LOT of hours. There are no shortcuts in that regard.

To increase your chances of getting into an Ivy League school, here are your action points:

1. Pick a sport that suits your body-type and athletic (or lack of athletic) ability
2. Practice at least 20 hours a week.
3. Try out for a great travel or club team.
4. Craft an athletic resume or website.
5. Reach out to varsity coaches via email.
6. Attend sports camps at colleges during the summer.
7. Compete in front of college coaches as much as possible.
8. Still maintain a high GPA!
9. Still get solid test scores.
10. Still be an involved and engaged student-athlete who exhibits solid leadership skills.

In sum, to make your way to college rowing, choose a sport that fits you and put in the time and hard work. Soon you will be rowing your boat gently into your top-choice college.

How College Rowing Recruiting Works

Rowing recruiting follows the same basic steps as other college sports, but your results on the rowing machine carry unusual weight. Coaches compare recruits by their 2,000-meter erg time, race results, height and weight, and academic record. Because every rower can post a measurable time, a hard-working athlete who started later can still earn a coach’s attention.

At Ivy League schools, only the Admissions Office has the authority to admit an applicant, so a coach’s support is one part of the decision. Beginning July 1 before senior year, an Ivy League coach may ask the Admissions Office to review a prospect’s academic credentials for a preliminary evaluation, and likely letters may not be issued before October 1 of senior year. [3] The Ivy League also encourages you to ask coaches directly about their level of interest in you. For a step-by-step look at the process across sports, read our overview of college recruiting.

What College Rowing Coaches Look For

Every program sets its own standards, but most rowing coaches evaluate the same core areas:

• Erg times and progress: Your 2,000-meter time is the most common benchmark, and steady improvement across seasons shows coaches you respond well to training.
• Race experience: Results from high school or club regattas show how you perform in a boat with teammates, not just on a machine.
• Fit for a boat class: Heavyweight, lightweight, and coxswain roles each call for a different build and skill set.
• Academics: Coaches can support only recruits who can be admitted, so your grades and course rigor matter as much as your erg time.
• Coachability and character: Rowing depends on every athlete pulling together, so coaches look for teammates who show up, work hard, and take feedback well.

If you plan to compete in Division I, the NCAA requires 16 core courses and a minimum 2.3 core-course GPA, and your first step is to create an account with the NCAA Eligibility Center. [4] Our list of facts about the NCAA for aspiring student-athletes covers the rules in more detail.

Coxswains follow a slightly different path. Instead of erg times, coaches want to know how you steer, call races, and motivate a crew, so share race audio or video along with your results and ask your high school or club coach to speak on your behalf. Lightweight rowers should confirm each program’s weight standards early, since they differ between men’s and women’s teams.

How to Start Rowing in High School

If your school has a crew team, join as early as you can. If it does not, look for a community or club rowing program in your area, since many clubs run learn-to-row sessions for beginners. Once you are on the water, train consistently on the erg and keep a record of your official times.

By the end of sophomore year, build a simple recruiting profile with your erg times, race results, height and weight, GPA, test scores if you have them, and a short video of you rowing. Then email coaches at the schools that interest you, attend rowing camps when possible, and follow up after every new result. Our post on getting recruited for college sports explains how to reach coaches and keep them informed.

How College Rowing Fits Into Your Application

Even if you are not recruited, rowing tells admissions officers a lot about you. Early morning practices, long training blocks, and a sport that depends on perfect teamwork all show discipline and commitment. Describe your role with specific details in your activities list, such as your seat, your erg progress, or a leadership role on the team. If rowing has shaped how you handle pressure or work with others, it can also give you material for a personal essay.

Athletics is one of several institutional priorities colleges weigh when they build a class. To see how recruited athletes and other priorities fit into admissions, read our post on what colleges look for.

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