Greetings,

I know that grades are everything, but what are the standards for playing at a JC? Does one just have to meet the entrance requirements? I know that you need to meet a sliding scale for DI and D2.

Son tries, but just is not a model student. I am trying hard to convince him that a JuCo will enable him to learn how to be college student, get his grades where they should be, with luck play ball and possibly transfer to a four-year school later on. I know that a good SAT/ACT score will exempt him from JuCo placement exams. Just want to know if he has a glimmer of a chance to play there as well.

Is this realistic?

Thanks in advance.

I believe for Junior college or Juco as it is called in other states just have requirement of graduating from highschool.Now they have to take placement tests for math and English, and if they do not pass with a certain score then they have to take remedial classes , which do not trasnfer to a four year school. So if they want to have enough units to move on to a four year school after two years,they would have to take summer school classes.
Juco is a good place for the less mature college student.My son had good enough grades to go to almost any four year school with baseball out of highschool, and it was still pretty grueling with school and baseball.he was at a JUCO.
He has to stay on top of it, becasue if you do not pass enough units you will not be elgible to play Juco ball either.
12 units plus baseball is a lot of work, and even good students struggle.Yes your son can do it, but he will need to work hard, maybe go to tutoring if he really struggles, and do summer school.
My son is taking an online GE class this summer, 3 units, pretty easy, he could of done two.Just to make the school year a little easier.
Good luck wuth your son.

My sons school still required entrance exams even with good SAT scores.Maybe its different at different schools.

Fanofgame speaks the truth. 12hrs and baseball is a FULL load for student-athletes. My son has grown exponentially in what is important and priorities now. Though it has been a struggle during the past year for him he has learned so much about what is expected of him now.

Younggun was a A/B student in HS. But in JUCO (or any level) he didn't apply himself much and paid the price. He is now taking 12hrs this summer to get caught up and maybe a little ahead.

JUCO is a great way for a student who needs to mature in many ways, not just academically.

Good luck.

quote:

Though it has been a struggle during the past year for him he has learned so much about what is expected of him now.

I am glad he is learning.My son went though some rough patches as well.It is quite an adjustment from HS to college, and will be more of one when they get to a 4 year. Hopefully they will have learned and are ready for the next step.

FOG,

Son is going to play at a local JC here in Northern California. He has signed up for classes. Have been following your post and had a chance to watch your son play he is a wonderful player. You have a wonderful insight to JC ball. Son is set to take 16 units this fall plus baseball. Is this too much? We want to make sure he will be able to go to a 4 year when done at the JC. I would appreciate and advice as far as classes, etc. and any advice on pitfalls to avoid.

gimages,

First thank you for the nice words about my son.Second congrats that your son will get a shot to play at the next level.
16 units is doable(is that a word)? LOL.My son did 14 last fall, it was tough but he did it and maintained 3.5.But the second semester he could not have done it at all.
Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions you want to ask.
Pitfalls: lots of JC players do not take academics serious, and it is the reason many do not go on to a 4 year university to play ball.They party too much skip class, and dont take their school seriously.
Because your son will just be 18, there will be 21 year olds most likely on the team. They can buy alcohol and many party.That will occur at any college.Your son will need to make a conscious decision as to what really matters to him.
My son had a difficult time the second semester, but was able to pull it out and end up with decent grades.He has now realized that his grades and his abilities will get him to the next level and for this I am most grateful.he has seen players have no where to go yet and its July.They didnt take care of business.
Your son will need to prioritize, make decisions about his future.Is he living at home? My son lived out the second semester and it was a huge lesson in life, but looking back I am glad he did it.
We recently went on a recruiting trip, the head coach told my son , you have two stats that I am interested in: baseball stats and academic stats. grades, what type of classes he took etc.he told my son that with his grades and his stats that he will have a lot of options next year.
So if I can say anything of importance to you and to all parents going through the JC process:
1.take the right classes (Gimages use the IGETSCE worksheet, it covers state schools, UC and the privates use it as well.
2. Students :go to class thats half the battle.When it comes time for final grades,and you are struggling but the teacher sees that you have worked hard, and have been at every class sometimes that can go in your favor. they will work with you more
3.learn how to manage your time: study, practice, weights, free time(what there is of it).
4.DO not get into grade trouble: At a JC you can play in the fall without full time units, then in spring you have to be enrolled in 12. but 3 is baseball so logistically you could only take 9.many players do this, but then the following fall you have to have I think 20 completed and by spring of 2nd year 24.So if you lollygag that first year you will be introuble the second.
5. take an online class during the summer. Take 2 if you can.My son took one this summer, it was a transferable class and it was pretty easy and he got three untis out of the way.
6. Work hard: they are watching,and many, many 4 year schools recruit from JC.

Gimages, let me know where your son will play.If he is in N. Ca we might run into one another.
advice to you: enjoy every minute if it, I had a blast thislast year.Met some great people, players and parents, watched every game I could get to and enjoyed all of it.Best of luck to your son and his baseball career.

FOG,

You have a private message.

Nice post, fanofgame...............

Very nice post Fanofgame... My son is also attended a JC last year and everything you said is definitely right on the money.

A couple of minor additions:

1) Here is a link to a website that has the information on the articulation agreements between CA JCs and the UCs and CSU. It is an online version of the IGETC information. It also has a bunch of links to other useful sites (e.g. UC admissions)

http://www.assist.org/web-assist/welcome.html

2) My advice on what classes to take is to focus on classes that are marked in the catalog as UC transferable. Some classes only transfer to the CSU system and those are to be avoided. Everything that is UC transferable will go to the CSUs as well as to nearly all private schools.

3) Check out the NCAA site as well. Here is a useful publication:

http://www.ncaapublications.co...8a9-6456c9b98957.pdf

Determine if your son is a qualifier out of HS as this may impact how many units he has to take before transferring.

Here is a link to the transfer guide:

http://www.ncaapublications.co...spx?sku=TGONLINE2008

Extremely useful in understanding how to transfer.

Happy to answer questions via PM as well.

08

quote:

Determine if your son is a qualifier out of HS as this may impact how many units he has to take before transferring.

This is of most significance and a well brought up point.I was blown away at the number of parents who had no idea what this meant.Do your homework and make sure you understand this.
My son was a qualifier, the difference is 24 units to transfer the first and 48 needed instead of 60 for a non qualifier.
To be a qualifier, get on the NCAA site and read up on it.You have to take the right number of academic classes in HS as well as take SAT and register with NCAA your junior year.
This can really open doors for you in the recruiting process down the road.

Its eqully important to find a JC counsler and coach that understands the transfer rules and will make calls for you about you eligability and point you in the right direction.

JC Transfer issues you might encounter:

-Some D1 coaches don't really know the transfer rules and tell you they are interested but don't think you'd be eliegable to play. A good counsler and coach can straightened out a few of these coaches....but not all, some don't want to admit they were wrong and/or others don't want to be bothered with complications.

-A school invested time recruiting a player only to find out from their compliance officer there was a special UC transfer rule that would apply to him and there was no way he could ever transfer there. Talking to the schools complaince officer before going to far in a complicated situation can avoid alot issues.

-A CSU on the semester system could not adequatly "convert" a players' quarter units into semester units, I am not sure if there are many JC's on the quarter system, however if you transfer to a 4 year school on quarters you need to make sure you have completed a course series before transferring (i.e. JC has Chem 1a & 1b taken over a two semesters, the UC on quarters has the equilent class over 3 quarters..Chem 1a, 1b, and 1c , if you only complete Chem 1a at the JC you are kind of screwed when trying to complete the series at the UC and vice-versa)

-You may find that your grades in lower division classes aren't high enough to get you into the 4 year school in your desired major. i.e. UCLA wants you but you have a 2.9 in lower division engineering, you won't get into the UCLA engineering program, you may have to change majors or find another school. Talk to the compliance officer or coach about you major before investing alot of time with them, unless you are ok with changing your major.

-You may turn away schools that don't have your intened major only to discover you have to change you major anyway because that 2.9 in lower division engineering won't get you into any other engineering program! Don't be to quick to decline a discussion to a school based upon your intended major.

-Some 4 years schools will wait until late in the spring to figure out their JC needs for next year.

Thanks all for all the wonderful information. It has really helpful and I now feel we know what to do and look for as son attends the local JC. Another big thank you for all the offers of help via private messages. As things come up I plan on asking for that help. I found this web site several years ago and count it as a blessing. Thanks once again.

I wanted to bup this post as my son is looking to go to a JUCO program next year. He has good grades but he will be a 16yr old senior , early b-day syndrome, and we are thinking JUCO ball will be the better route. He is currently playing summer ball for the JUCO coaches that he is interested in playing and really gets a good feel from them. Anyhow , would it be best fo rhim to take an online course next year before heading to class.

This is a tremendous forum and a forum I will be checking back on frequently.

Once again he has good grades and can tryout for a 4 yr program but JUCO seems to be the best route before moving to a 4 yr program.

Thanks....

I think an online class is a great idea. My son took one this summer and it was pretty good. He actually likes the online and will do one in the fall and possibly two in the spring during baseball.If he can take a class each summer then take 12 each semester he will have his 60 units. Good luck.

.

GREAT thread I'll agree...and highlight....and support...and add...

My younger just finished 3 years of CA JC Ball and is headed to DI...


1. DO NOT get behind academically at JC. Cannot stress that enough.

2. SECRET, HIDDEN AND IMMEDIATE POSSIBLE TROUBLE AT CA JC...Many players in CA may be qualifiers and have good HS careers...but many test low on the JC enrance tests and have to take remedial math and/or English (the JC's love to do this because it is more business) which are both huge unit grabbers (9 units total) and DO NOT transfer. This puts a player behind IMMMEIATELY almost a full grading period. While this may seem simply dealt with with summer school, add summer ball, and you are suddenly struggling Be aware. You will have to plan to catch back up.

3. THE UC TRACK IS NOT FOOLPROOF...Regardless of the UC track, some of the privates may have a different unit transfer policy. We were very, very diligent with the UC track figuring that it left all doors open...took lots of units...and 44jr#2 got into UC Davis on academics alone just fine...and then was recruited unbidden by LMU and was told that he'd have to take two summer school courses just to be eligible in the fall.

4. STAY MAJOR SPECIFIC IF POSSIBLE...Talk to your son early about career ideas. If he has a goal start now. Don't believe the myth that this is all prereq's so experiment and try various things some. For athletes it is not. In order to stay on NCAA graduation guidelines, AND keep all your option open for a major you need to start thinking clearly now about what you want to major in at a 4 year and taking the RIGHT courses for that particular major/s. It is easier to choose a major path (say business) and back into something else than it is to take an undecided path and then decide to be a buisness major. Like most, mine, had no idea so worked hard kept as many options open as he could, and his options for a major were limited at 4 year because the did not "specialize" early enough to finish in 2 years at the 4 year. Not a disaster, just be aware. Don't be surprised.

5. PE/BASEBALL UNITS...some may disappear and not transfer to various schools...and there may be one limit for JC #'s, another for UC and another for a different schools. Research.

6. JC COUSELORS...I don't want to throw a blanket of condemnation over them all but many JC couselors have no real clue about the gauntlet of academic rules regulations and deadlines that the NCAA has thrown up for 2-4, 4-2-4 trasnfers. And even if they know the're stressed, overworked and have little time to really counsel and guide and steer athletes with the care/detail that they need. In many cases your pretty much on your own.

7. ACADEMIC/LIFE SUPPORT...ibid...While there are some JC's that are WONDERFUL for academics and life support (Butte) at many/most schools you are pretty much on your own. Put an 18 year old away from home for the first time, in his own apartment, in a college/party atmosphere, with little academic wiggleroom, little time wiggleroom, and no "keeper"..and you are asking for trouble. Frankly most are better off to live at home for the first year.

8. THE 3 YEAR/REDSHIRT PLAN...Be aware that many of the better CA JCs are doing this...academically it can be done, Younge did this, but but it adds another level of pitfalls and concerns. Be aware. Research.

9. ONLINE...while I am big fan of online be aware how discpined your son is. Some need the structure and personal interaction offered by a regular scheudle and the human touch.

10. FALL REQUIREMENTS...At the 4 years lots of the heavy academic lifting gets done in the fall because of the tight NCCA limits on fall practice....While the CA JC schedule has been curtailed some, the CA JC's fall schedule is larely unregulated putting some pressure on academics in the fall.

44
.

All of this "stuff" about transferrable classes, etc. is enough to make one go insane. However, it doesn't mean you can go putting your head in the sand. You have to do your due diligence every step of the way. I truly do feel for the kids who just never knew during high school what was required besides good grades to be eligible down the road. often it is too late in different aspects as we all know.

We registered son for NCAA Clearinghouse during his Junior year, etc. He took the appropriate amount of "core" classes to be a qualifier, and made an decent score on his SAT and ACT. I'm sure that when we give his high school transcripts to Admissions that any coach worth his weight finds out which of his players are eligible to transfer on (after JUCO). Maybe I'm gullible in thinking this. I do still know however that this doesn't negate us from keeping him eligible in other areas.

How do you go to the NCAA Clearinghouse to find out if THEY show if you are a qualifier or not? I wonder if I ever had his SAT or ACT scores sent to the NCAA....

Observer 44,
Great post and some great info.Really important point about the remedial classes, and that is why many JC players have to go to JC three years.
As far as knowing if your a qualifier, if you go onto the NCAA and sign in there is a place to check your sons status.It will say wheter or not he is a qualifier.
It is hard to know exactly what classes transfer, as some schools are different,but we stuck with IGETSCE and so far all schools that have looked at his transcrips,say all his classes transfer.
It is tough when your son does not know what he wants to major in.And it is hard to go back and esp. do business if you havent taken any of the pre reqs.
I agree with O44 about living at home the first year.It is a lot to handle.
I think all athletes in HS, should be attempting to be a quailifier out of HS if possible.
I helped my son choose his first year of classes.If you go with the Engcomp A and B, a solid math class,Speech,etc.all the HAVE TO HAVE classes to transfer youll be ok.Its when kids jump all over the place and waste units that they get into trouble.
I am sure many kids lose a few clases here and there when they transfer.Its hard when you dont know what you want to do, or where you want to go.

O44,

Great post. Thanks so much.

Son spent a session with JC consuler and have to say it for whatever reason the consuler was not very helpful and did not seem to be into helping. We were lost and still confused about JC academics. We have recieved more valuable info from this thread. With the info from this thread we were able to make an JC academic map for the next couple of years that we feel confident in.

Son failed the first english placement test at his JC. Had him take it over and he passed. This was important as now he will not lose a semester with a class that will not transfer. You can take the test twice. He passed the mathe placement test.

I have to say that this entire college thing is bit confussing but this thread has helped out so very much.

Thanks all keep it comming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: the counsler not being to helpful, I would have him talk to the bb coach to direct him to a more helpful counsler and/or some coaches are very knowldegable about classes and transfers, you just have to ask. However, it ultimatly comes down to the srudent, a student that ignores the details of planning and taking responsibility his college career will strugle.....

I'll have to add that many of the issues mentioned above, less then helpful counsler, needing to take biz classes before hitting the 3rd year.....exist at d1 schools also.

I'll just reiterate that I would be extremly weary of my son taking online classes at the JC or D1, you are just asking for trouble with these classes as they are the classes most likely to not transfer to another school.

btw my son's JC counsler was very good and spent time figuring out the revisions to the 4-2-4 rules and even discussed my sons situation with the NCAA staff. Find a counsler that wants to help.