Harvard or Brookes? How to choose from the best of the best

Choosing Harvard over Brookes; was it the right decision?

I’m a rower. I’m a student. And I’m 18 years old. Where will I go to university? This was the question I was forced to answer during the last year at school. I was scared for the future and ashamed that I was still undecided. Most of my friends were confident in their choices and knew exactly what they wished to study, where they wished to go and ultimately had it all planned out. Me? I personally avoided getting asked this question because I didn’t know. Now looking back, I realise how much of my distress could have been dissolved if someone would have simply told me that it’s ok. You don’t have to know what you want to do, or study or even where you want to go. As long as you get your predicted grades and (at the risk of sounding cliche) try your hardest, your possibilities are endless. So, that’s what I did. Unbeknownst to me, later on in the year, with exams finished and summer nearing to a close, I would get approached by the Harvard rowing coach, and a few months later, get accepted into Harvard university. 

After I started rowing, the possibility of gaining a place in a US university dramatically increased. I was bombarded with US university scouts from Ivy Leagues and private universities wanting me to join their programmes. At first, I was naiive and wanted to immediately go to the first university that gave me a place as I had never considered the US. However, I was thankfully advised to research, research, research everything I could about any university that contacted me. I needed to join the right university for me, either that be in the US or the UK. And so I spent the initial part of my last year researching, asking around, envisioning myself in US university programmes and wondering if there was a connection. Nobody talks about how difficult it is. On top of exam stress and rowing expectations, making the correct decision on your university applications is extremely unnerving and distressing. Carrying notorious pressure, it’s the pinnacle of a student’s life and without doubt plays impacts almost every pathway post decision. This is the reason why making the correct decision, where you are confident and assured of your self, is paramount. 

Whether you are looking to study abroad or in the UK, there are a plethora of things you can do to get ahead and make university applications an easier process. Obviously, it’s ok if you don’t have it figure out yet. There are many people in the same position and not knowing will not put you at any disadvantage for your future. A gap year is always an option, which I confidently took, and will give you more time and get rid of the stress you may feel about upcoming application deadlines. 

So, to get into the main body of this article, how can you find the best university specifically for you? This may depend on your priorities but in general, these are the top 3 things to look out for as a student rower who anticipates the life of a student athlete:

1. The course. Which university has the best reputation, facilities and topics for what you want to study? It’s also important to note that you need to be realistic about your expected grades and the university expectations. However, research universities both in the US and UK and figure out what would allow you to enjoy your academic side of university and give you the best possibility to earn your chosen degree with flying results. 
2. Rowing programme. If continuing with rowing is something you want to do at university, look for a programme that shares your ambitions. Ask the coaches and athletes already there about their ethos, culture, and vision. Do they fit into what you wish to achieve in the future? Do they inspire you to be a better athlete and most importantly allow you to enjoy the process of being a student athlete? Do you see yourself thriving within that programme? If considering universities abroad, official visits are crucial so that you can truly experience the environment and see for yourself the realities of their rowing programme. 
3. The location. Can you survive being thousands of miles away from your family? Or do you need them close by? This is a very important aspect in your decision because studying abroad will mean you start life completely anew, with new friends, coaches, and culture. This is why official visits are so necessary: they allow you to truly experience the culture and environment and see if you will enjoy being within it for the next few years of your life. 

I hope this has helped you and good luck to all of you making university decisions, the most significant thing to remember is to take your time.  

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Isabel Llabres Diaz

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