I have been rowing since the summer before 9th grade (and am in 10th grade now). However, I’m really terrible at it. I understand that if I was a star athlete, this would absolutely be helpful, but I am the worst rower on my team. I mainly have stick with it because I want to get into Harvard and heard from many sources that having a sport displays balance. However, it’s a huge time commitment (6 days a week, 2 hours a day) and I don’t enjoy it. I don’t have time to do fall/winter training due to mock trial/model assembly/science club/volunteering/student senate etc. (all of which I have a great time participating in), so I don’t really have a shot at improving. I’m also not super athletically inclined–I’m built like a spaghetti noodle. Should I find a different sport (if yes, does anyone have suggestions for a spring/summer sport)? Or would I seem like a quitter to colleges if I abandoned rowing halfway through high school?
Sports do show discipline and they help us balance the mind and body, but they shouldn’t be seen as a task you have to do to get into college. You seem to realize you’re not going to be a college rower. The vast major of super dedicated kids who live and breathe their sports will not be playing their sport competitively in college. So don’t do it to get into Harvard. Do pick some EC you like that will help you develop your skills, meet new friends, and destress/have some fun in high school. Try new things, and forget about what you hear about doing this or that specific thing to get into a school.
I played two varsity sports. I was varsity from freshman year to senior year in each. I was not recruited because I thought I didnt want to play in college so i didnt try (although I may talk to the coach about it and go to a training camp all summer). However, I think that it helped tremendously. Every kid at my school who has ever gone to harvard played two varsity sports at least some point in their HS career.
Your chances of getting into Harvard are minuscule, just like everyone else’s chances. I highly doubt that spending four years as a terrible rower is going to make any difference. You have activities that you love and where you would rather spend your time. Try another sport because it is great for your mind and body. Don’t think its going to get you into Harvard.
Today I was talking with my son, a Princeton alumnus, and asked him his thoughts on this question. He told me that there were lots and lots of unathletic students at Princeton and is confident the same is true at Harvard.
I would not waste your time doing something you do not like. If you are not passionate about what you’re doing, it will become a chore, and no longer have any incentive to excel. Rowing to get into Harvard, when you’re not good at it, and not enjoy doing it, will not make you into a star athlete and well be absolutely no help in admissions. Div 1 athletes who are recruited often sacrifices many of their other EC’s to focus on their sports. Spending a minimum of 2 to 5 hours a day training and practicing is the norm. If you are planning to be recruited as a rower to Harvard, you need to be genuinely passionate about crew and make it your top priority above other EC’s and become one of the top rated athlete.
Switching to another sport at the end of your sophomore year will not be a good idea if you think it will make you recruitable. Especially since you will only have one year to blossom into an athlete good enough for a Div 1 sport. From your description of yourself, it seems as a “spaghetti noodle” you’re not very athletically gifted. So, if you do not like crew, I would recommend choosing one of your other EC that you are very good at and more importantly love doing and try to excel at it.
Please don’t live your life like this, doing things you don’t like in order to get into any college. It is a huge mistake.
The time drain from rowing will actually prevent you from developing interests in the areas that you DO like.
Be yourself. Don’t try to fit yourself to a college, find a college that fits you.
Playing a sport is not relevant to get into Harvard or other selective schools. I don’t know who told you that. They may have been thinking of recruited athletes.
If you hadn’t posted here, would you really have continued a sport you hate and aren’t good at, on the false idea that it will help you get into Harvard?
I hope this thread frees you up. Enjoy high school, and just follow what really interests you.
Ditto. While it is important to engage in physical activities to develop lifelong healthy habits, it is not something necessary to get in to a top or any college.
Being recruited because you are an outstanding athlete is a benefit to being a good athlete but you don’t have to be an athlete for admittance. If your parents are putting pressure on you to pursue a recruitable sport, it is probably late to pick something up from scratch unless you are naturally athletic. Maybe sailing? tennis? squash?
The best advice, though, is to pursue what interests you, whether or not it is athletic. Dig in and become good at it.
If you can be recruited at Harvard for rowing, stick with it. If you think you can become the captain of the team, stick with it. If not, you should consider dropping it in favor of other ECs that will better strengthen your application, such as clubs, work, internships, etc