<p>I'm just finishing junior year. I'm a lightweight rower looking to row at an Ivy in college. I've been in contact with every Ivy coach and a few other programs and I know that July 1st is coming up. I'm 6'2, 155, and my 2k is 6:31. Medaled at Youth Nationals in a big boat and placed very well at Canadian Henley in multiple events. Might be racing this summer but going to work my ass off to break 6:30.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience with academics at these schools as well? All I see are the generic 3.7+ GPA , 2000+ SAT yadda yadda, but even with lower grades and a top 1% ACT score my AI is a high 220 (so will my lower GPA matter or will they care more about my AI?) If it helps, I attend one of the top public high schools in the country and am in only AP and Honors classes. My GPA isn't awful (don't get the wrong idea) but lies more around a 3.6 (if you take the average of all of my final grades, I end up with a high 89%--I've been on the bad end of borderline B+/A-s with 4 89%s over the last 3 years)</p>
<p>What should I expect on July 1st (or thereafter?) After pre-reads, (just sent in my transcript today to every coach!) will offers (if they come) start? When should I expect real offers to begin? August? September? Will coaches give offers before OVs, especially if we've met on UVs? </p>
<p>-A stressed out rower. Thanks guys! :)</p>
<p>Lightweightv8</p>
<p>My two cents…Overall, slightly lower GPA at a top public or private school is not going to be your undoing to be athletically recruited at a high academic school. If you’ve challenged yourself and did well that speaks volumes. Besides your ACT is a top 1% ACT. Ultimately, your athletic appeal to the coach is going to be your “hook”. You need to separate yourself from the pack and demonstrate results to these coaches that will make them want you. I would try to get in front of these coaches ASAP. </p>
<p>Help me out here…you’ve sent in transcripts for prereads to all schools (how many, who, did they ask for the transcripts?). You’ve visited some of these schools on an un-OV. Correct? Hasn’t the coaches talked to you about what to expect in terms of progression of things from their end? I think you’ll find many people have many different recruiting paths and timelines My son did not have an OV to the school he committed to. He had many OVs to other schools that he was not interested in. Besides, in his sport most commit long before OVs are available. He made up his mind based on his academic major and their school when they offered during an un-OV and showcase. </p>
<p>My son got all kinds of calls July 1 from mostly coaches or schools he’d never heard of. He got a few calls from coaches he knew (they promised they’d call July 1) or colleges he was familiar with. No matter who calls…take the call and make them feel special. Listen to everything the coach is saying (and not saying) and take notes, so you can refer to them at a future time. Ask all coaches that call or email what events they will be at this Summer and Fall…these are the events you want to target.</p>
<p>I think it is real important for you to keep meeting new coaches and learning about new programs. Get in front of these coaches ASAP to solidify your athletic hook, and remember that your recruiting time line is very, very different from recruiting timeline of the coaches recruiting you. Use that lag time between coaching conversations to talk to new coaches. Coaches are notorious for telling you that they will call you next week. Two, three, or four weeks later you’ll get that call you were expecting after one week. Sorry, but it happens all the time. This is why it is so important to reach out to many coaches and programs to keep things moving forward.</p>
<p>I agree with Fenway regarding your GPA/ ACT, and his/her advice to keep contact going with the various coaches, and to separate yourself from the pack.</p>
<p>My son was recruited to an Ivy as a lightweight rower and will begin his Freshman year this Sept. Your weight/ ht / 2k will make you an attractive candidate, in my opinion. Regarding July 1, here is what I recommend:
Prepare an index card for each school on which you list the coaches names, the reason you would like to row for their school (they will ask), any questions you might have for them, and perhaps some notable results their team had this past Spring (it will show you researched and followed their season= your interest.) The coaches will ask you for your Spring race highlights, your most recent 2k, your GPA, SAT/ACT. They may ask you which other Ivies you are speaking to. They will ask you to send your transcript, if you haven’t. They may tell you they will submit your academics to their admissions dept for a pre-read, and if they get a green light, “then we’ll talk officials.” I recall the officials were set up in August. One of the coaches who called on July 1 was in my son’s top three, so he let him know that (and he ended up there.) You may or may not choose to let the coach know at this point.</p>
<p>Good luck, and keep us posted! </p>