<p>A different perspective: In my son’s experience (rowing at a prep school), rowing not being an NCAA sport hasn’t been a real disadvantage. Many of the top rowing programs are located at schools that give out academic rather than athletic scholarships, so the NCAA is simply a hoop that boys don’t need to jump through. My kid’s male friends seem to be getting about as many OV’s as his female friends, and when he was at camp this summer (right after July 1), rising seniors (from public as well as private schools) were getting lots of calls–admittedly, those guys all have strong erg times. </p>
<p>It is true definitely that the varsity rowing programs are more limited, but we’re looking at that as an advantage rather than disadvantage, as it helps to narrow the field down to manageable options. </p>
<p>I also know a kid who has never rowed but is a great nordic skier who has been promised a letter of rec. from a top school that doesn’t do likelies if he can produce a decent erg.</p>