Hub Essentials!
- The Hub defines a junior college as a two-year community college
- Junior golfers can consider attending a junior college for academic, cost, or eligibility reasons
- Junior colleges can often have very competitive golf programs
- Some players attend a junior college for a few years and then transfer to a four-year college
- Evaluate your circumstances to determine if a junior college is right for you
There are often good reasons to consider a junior college versus a four-year college. In this article, the Hub will get down to business to help you decide if a junior college might be right for you.
But first, let's talk about what the term junior college means. We mean a two-year community college. We don't use the term "community college" because there are some four-year community colleges out there. So, for the purpose of this topic, we will define "junior college" as a two-year community college. Now let's get to it.
If you're considering junior college, it may be for a multitude of reasons, although there are typically a few main drivers:
#1 Academics: If your academics aren't up to par to gain acceptance into a four-year college, then strongly consider the junior college route.
#2 Cost: We all know the cost of college is rising. Some private 4-year universities can cost upwards of $90,000 per year. Junior colleges are typically far less expensive, with typical tuition ranging from $4,000-$20,000 per year.
#3 Eligibility: Prospective students who fail to meet NCAA eligibility requirements for certain reasons (core courses, minimum GPA) can choose to attend a junior college instead.
To find junior colleges with college golf programs, of course, look no further than the Hub. Use our Find a College feature to find those opportunities in your state, and then check out the golf program stats.
Now onto tactics. A popular strategy often employed is to start your college career at a junior college and then transfer to a four-year university. This strategy can help you start your college career, allow you to play golf in college, defray the cost of college, and still allow you to graduate from a four-year university. Not a bad option. In our experience, college admissions offices and coaches can often view junior college favorably, although it depends, of course, on the college and program. Students who have performed well at a junior college show they can handle a college workload and perform well academically.
Of course, a junior college is not for everyone. However, we hope this article gave you some food for thought!
Enjoy your Journey!