post secodary rowing

Question
Hi, i am a male lightweight who lives in Canada. I am very competitive and i love the sport. I have acquired some fairly impressive results and times; my 2k erg score is 6:42; my 6k erg score is 21:10; and i placed forth in the national rowing championship in a pair. i do fairly well in school, i.e., high b's or a's. i am looking to try and get on an American crew team and don't really know what's next, i've already completed the sat,and received my scores. Some guidance would be much appreciated. :)

Answer
Hi Connor: Yes, those are really good times -- maybe even good enough to get a rowing scholarship.  Your on-water experience is impressive too.

Going to a U.S. school shouldn't be too much different than applying to a Canadian college.  Of course there are immigration issues you'll have to work through.  Your decision for selecting a college MUST be made primarily on your educational goals and secondarily on your rowing goals.  You also have to consider cost in the event you do not get a rowing scholarship (e.g., you apply to a school that has a top level program like an Ivy League school).  You also have to uderstand that even with an A- grade average, that may not be good enough to get into the best schools in the U.S.

You should do some research on colleges (and their crew programs) and pick 3 or 4 that seem like "best matches" in terms of education, location, cost, and crew program.  Write or e-mail the coach(es) of these schools for further information and guidance.

Good Luck/AP