With the UCAs deadline approaching it becomes daunting to decide where to go to university and whether to choose for the course, the rowing, or the university itself. The answer of course, is somewhere in the middle. It is important to look at all these different factors when getting ready to choose your university.
As someone who started rowing at university, obviously, I didn’t make my choice based on rowing. Yet I did look at countless universities and felt overwhelmed at all the choices. The first and arguably, most important part of choosing your university is the course. Having done a three-year degree, I’d say choose your favourite subject- if you are unsure and not doing a specific degree, such as medicine. You will study it in enormous depth for a considerable amount of time and therefore, you need to choose something that really interests you. There are countless courses related to the subjects you currently study, so the best thing to do is look at your favourite subject and do some research. You may be planning on studying something you haven’t studied before which I personally did, the most important thing to do here is research the course and make sure it looks like something you would be able to take on. Speak to your teachers and see what they think as they will know your academic abilities more than most.
Once you have decided the course you want to study it is then time to look at other factors and a key one for you will most likely be rowing. In the UK there is abundance of universities with great rowing programmes so honestly this should not hold you back at all. Even though I went to a university that was not necessarily famous for its rowing programme, (Liverpool University) there were people at all different abilities. I had an amazing time rowing at Liverpool and would recommend it to anyone. That being said, it depends on where you are in your rowing career and how important rowing is for you. Leaving uni, I spoke to a lot of coaches about where to row next. Therefore, I’d recommend when looking into university boat clubs to chat to the coaches and other students and see which you think best suits you. Some are more flexible than others, so it really depends on what you look for in a rowing club and what you’re used to.
An important thing to bear in mind is that your university rowing experience is most likely going to be very different from junior rowing. It will most likely be a step up from school and club rowing. The best thing I found about rowing at university is that the programmes are designed to do alongside studying and balancing your studies and rowing can be difficult but, in my experience, coaches are very understanding. Everyone who you row with will also be attempting to balance rowing with their studies which is a massive positive about uni rowing as it means everyone is in the same situation as you. The transition may be a difficult one depending on what you’re used to and where you’re going so preparing yourself as much as possible is important. Use all the resources you can to help you understand what sort of rowing experience you are going into.
I would recommend visiting the universities you are looking at going to. This will give you a chance to see where you would live, row and study. On university open days you can see what the campus life and the area is like. For rowing, factors such as how far away the boathouse is from the accommodation, what the facilities are like and the intensity of the training are all things you can gage if you go and visit the universities in person when possible. Personally, I went to open days at every university I applied to which is what finalised my decision, as my course was pretty similar at all of the universities. Looking at the boat clubs will also help you get the sense of what the rowing life will be like wherever you go. Most universities will also give you a taster day which will give you the chance to see what level the rowing is at as well as the coaching style. It’s a great idea to go to as many of these as you can and meet current student rowers.
Overall, when looking at where to go to university it’s imperative that you do your research, both in terms of what to study and where to row. The most important thing to remember is that wherever you go you’ll have an amazing time. Universities are such large places, and you will find like-minded people wherever you go. Most universities in the U.K. have incredible rowing programmes that will help you improve. Good luck making some big decisions and don’t forget there is a large number of people out there who want to help you!
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