So this doesn't happen. Most rowers are from top privates with few from public schools. There are a few public school exceptions for kids from some wealthy NY/CT (or CA) suburbs who rowed at elite clubs. Rowing is the ultimate white DEI sport. Most recruited rowers at HYP are European and competitive at the national level. Being tall doesn't just help, it is a prerequisite. 6'2" for men and 5'10" for women except for coxswains (who typically do not receive recruiting support). Overall rowing is not by any means a easier path to admittance to a top school. |
If this is true it wasn't at an elite school for a top team. |
There is a place on a college team for just about any female rower with experience. I have a kid who honestly isn't that fast, rowing at a DIII school. She would not have made the cut for HYP or Williams, but you can row in college if you want to. She likely would have been admitted to this school on her academic record but we had a decision in August and knew what the merit aid offer was. It made for an easy fall. Also, we are from a DMV public. Jackson Reed is extremely good, BCC girls are very good, as is TBC (private club) and DC National. There are a whole bunch of public school clubs in NOVA as well. |
I think the whole point is that OP is trying to link college acceptance to being recruited. And it's great that your kid is rowing at a D3 but if you're having to make it on the merit of your application and you would have made it anyway, I honestly don't know what the "recruited" hook is buying you. It's not like you got a place in Ivy, Ivy+ or the top SLAC for rowing. I also agree that it's incredibly expensive. For Mclean HS, it's over 7K for a spring semester of regattas and a winter session of erging. |
| I thought there used to be lightweight rowing. Is that not a thing anymore? Then you can “only” be 6’0, no? |
unfair? It's just the body type that is most proficient at rowing! Like - tall people play basketball. Small/strong women are gymnasts, etc. |
In many sports (tennis for example, also very expensive) its not that easy to get to a DIII school and really couldn't start at the end of middle school. |
Was there a lot of options among DIII schools? I just don't know how it works |
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These international female rowing recruits from other countries are often in their 20's as freshmen. They spend a few years rowing after high school with the specific goal of rowing for a US college. It's their ticket here.
It's extremely difficult to compete against them as a 17 year old recruit. |
It’s not unfair. It’s physics. |
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My advice to current HS Junior parents is to be realistic about your child's ability and have them commit by the end of March. There's a lot of shuffling in March and by the end of April the pool of spots is much smaller. Unless your kid is a superstar, then they'll bump someone else for your kid.
Coaches will cast a wide net, but move on if your kid isn't offered an official visit and an offer by the end of the visit. Ivies especially will keep talking to kids all the way until the end, without moving it forward to a visit and an offer. Figure out whether your kid needs an athletic scholarship or just admission into the best school they can get and you can pay. Then narrow the scope of schools based on that. Good luck everyone! |
Our DC's rowing club has dues of $500/month, plus there is a fee of about $500 for every regatta to cover transportation and lodging. There are 6-10 regattas per year, so if you do the math, rowing can run almost $10k per year. |
It is not too late. Its is a good EC. It is a reasonably common EC in metro DC. |
You are absolutely correct. I was commenting from the perspective of rowing as a path to being recruited to an elite school. If someone is doing it because they love it there absolutely is a path to rowing in college even at top schools as a walk on in a lower boats. |
There’s always the coxswain. If your kid is short and thin, and has the right loud personality… |