Why Junior College is a Great Option
When deciding where to play after high school, don’t overlook Junior Colleges. Attending a Junior College provides tremendous opportunities to reach your long-term goals and develop as a student-athlete.
Financial Benefits
Typically, the cost of attending a Junior College is substantially less than a 4-year college or university. Many Junior Colleges offer scholarships and access to financial aid. Furthermore, the process for applying for financial aid is relatively simple and families from various socioeconomic backgrounds are provided access to aid.
In addition, attending a Junior College close to home will save money on housing costs. Saving money during the first few years of your college experience will make it easier to transfer to a 4-year school and opens up more options in the future.
Academic Benefits
Due to the smaller population of most Junior Colleges, class sizes tend to stay relatively small as well. This provides a great learning environment with a better student to teacher ratio where you are able to build relationships with your professors.
The first two years of your schooling is also an ideal time to get your general education courses out of the way. This provides you the opportunity to transfer those credits to a 4-year school and get started on your major when you arrive.
Athletic Benefits
Junior Colleges provide a great way to further develop both strength and skill to prepare you for the next level. Furthermore, Junior College programs also help you adjust to the highly competitive nature of college sports. Attending a Junior College for a couple years helps you get acclimated to a rigorous schedule of school, practice, games, weights, conditioning, social life, and more.
College recruiting is extremely competitive. With so many high school athletes looking to play at the next level and only so many roster spots available, Junior College is a great option. Coaches at 4-year programs often recruit Junior College athletes because they’ve had time to grow, mature, and work with talented coaches both on and off the field or court.