DIVISION 1 or JUCO

We got some good advice from our nephew, past juco All American. Go were you are wanted,go were you can play early and often,and go were postseason play is readily available. We chose juco to stay draft eligible and the schloraship amounts were higher. It all depends what you consider the ultimate prize to be and to each it is different and correct in their eyes.

Thanks for the info!

the world is full of decision making...agree with bkatdog...the call for that ultimate prize is the decision to make...sounds like it worked in your sisutation dog...Blue Skies

Hmmm....wouldn't an education come in to play somewhere there? Just thinking that's the reason you go to school. Just my opinion of course.

It's not where you go...

It's what you do when you get there.

This is very interesting:

Workinghard: Yes for some people Juco is a bad choice. Like Kids that have great grades and can go to a big time academic school straight out of HS. A place like Rice, Harvard, ect…. But for the majority Juco is not a bad option. I went to Junior college my freshman year. I took all the basics like English 1301, American History 1301, ect.. I took 13 Hours the first semester and it cost $325.00. When I transferred to a 4 year school 13 hours cost $4,200.00

The crazy thing is about 7 years ago I needed my transcript so I called the 4 year school I went to and NO where on it listed the Juco I went to. All my classes transferred over just like I took them there. I have asked others that did the same and they also said it was the case for them.

So in my case it didn’t matter at all.

Why Juco was the best choice for me?

1. Got to Play a lot as a freshman
2. Classes were smaller
3. Eased me into the college life
4. Eased me into learning how to really study
5. Didn’t get lost in the crowd, baseball and school wise.
6. Single income family and my mom could not help.

I had a great year my freshman year and received a big scholarship that I would have never gotten out of HS. Even if I had I was not ready for the big school at 18 years old. Some are but not this small town kid.

Seems to me the reason you go to a juco is to earn a scholarship spot at a Division 1 program. If you already have a Division 1 offer, what is the point of the junior college?

I don't want to speak poorly of junior colleges but in my opinion there is not a whole lot of teaching going on the junior college programs. I would rather my son be at a school for 3 or 4 years where he is going to get better each year, regardless of playing time his first year.

If you pick the right school and right coaches, you won't get "lost in the crowd". If you want to get lost in the crowd, go to a junior college with 65 guys trying out.

IMHO...I feel comfortable and align with most of Cade's comments on JC's...from most conversations that I've heard play time has been one of the biggest factors more quickly than landing the D1...as our family begins this journey, JC seems to work, perferably...but if the D1 opportunity does happen...bet your bottom $$$ we will study all options and make the best decision possible based on his atlethic career and education! Grins-

quote:

If you want to get lost in the crowd, go to a junior college with 65 guys trying out.

The contrary would say...

If you get "lost in the crowd" at a JUCO, then what is there to believe he would, or eventually would, stand out at a D1?

Cade...

Great comments!

If I'm a lawyer and I have two options out of law school - the big firm where I'll spend my first two years typing briefs and fetching coffee or the small firm where I'll get to be in the courtroom handling cases arguing traffic tickets and trying to work my way up to a big firm - I'm going with the big firm for the opportunity to learn from the best and put myself in a position to be a better lawyer in a couple years. And who knows if the big firm offer will ever be there again?

Also, I want my son to grow up when he's in college. His best opportunity to do that will be hanging around and watching 21 and 22 year olds go about their business and feeding off their work ethic. He's not going to mature as quickly hanging around 50 other 18 year olds making the same dumb decisions he makes.

I don't know if my boy will have the opportunity to decide between juco and Div 1. But if he does, its going to be an easy decision. Why spend another two years working toward an opportunity he already has right in front of him? Who's to say it will still be there - especially with the new rules limiting the number of scholarship spots each team has?

There are going to be two guys playing quarterback tonight on television that turned out OK not playing much their first couple years. I bet they don't regret it a bit.

I believe Colt McCoy was a 4year starter at Texas

Because of the highly competitive D1 atmosphere, most D1 programs plan on using their kids, even the freshmen. The roles may be minor, but few schools can afford to "season" a kid on scholarship -- he is "expensive". A few other things to consider....

Our son was looking for the "total college experience" and I don't use that expression to minimize or criticize the JUCO. He wanted to go to the football games and chase sorority girls and stuff....and establish a 4-5 year life there. It was important for him to create a new home. That can happen at a 2-year school too, but the shorter time frame contributes to a "short-time" feel.

Some JUCO (notice "SOME" -- when using this term, I think it's difficult to argue the point) have a bit of a carefree attitude towards the use of "suppliments" (is that an ok word to use here?). There is at least one JUCO (a neighboring state, not Texas) where the coaches INSIST on a steroid regiment....even in today's world. My source is reliable.

I won't get into the discussion about quality of education, etc. The cost issue is definitely a HUGE plus for the JUCO option.

All in all, I think it depends on the kid.

McCoy is a four-year starter... but redshirted his first year.

What ALWAYS gets me on these JUCO/D-1 conversations is the number of people who critique the quality of a JUCO education or JUCO baseball who have never themselves nor their sons been to a JUCO. I will agree, however, with what PD says in that it all depends upon the kid. Enough said.

I think Cade said it best, but I don't think the examples he used necessarily needed to be the Rices, Harvards of the world if you opted to go the D1 route to get an education. I'm sure Texas St, Arkansas and the Troy student-athletes feel academics are just as important if your coming out of high school academically prepared and bypassing the JUCO route.

But as stated, all depends on the kid and his/her family situation.

Goodeye- Colt McCoy has a National Champ ring... and it is via Vince Young...

TyMiller- Why does it have to be between JUCO/Div 1... is there Div II, Div III, NAIA that offer baseball for four years???
Yeah Ty nothing like watching a bunch of 21/22 year olds make great decisions...

not alot of "baseball" teaching going on at JUCO's?? Then why is the SEC and Big XII baseball rosters full of JUCO transfers?? Why are so many JUCO guys drafted each year? All from what they learned in high school and little league?

IMO, if you are looking at a D-1 based on how quick you can play/what you can learn on the field... then you are gonna be disappointed anyway when they dont have the degree dept you want... 50% of all college freshman baseball athletes are done with athletics in two years no matter where they attend out of high school... hard to swallow, I know...

Cool

Not to mention the guys at D1 who are all excited to get there only to be disappointed and drop DOWN to the JUCO.......there's quite a few of these guys lately. It really stinks truthfully, especially for the guys who really WANTED and planned all along to go the JUCO route and had a spot until that great D1 guy got there.

JUCO or D1? It just depends on the individual. There are guys all excited about the JUCO and later are disappointed when it doesnt work out. The same can be said for some D1 guys. Everyone is not going to have a good experience. Sometimes you have to punt and try something else.

Just because you turn down a D1 offer and accept a JUCO offer does not mean you are going to start or see significant playing time. Academic fit , baseball fit , campus fit , location , where are you truly wanted , etc etc.

I went JUCO it was the right choice for me. For others its not. Good luck.

Diablo, you have lost the original intent of the thread. The question is not Div I vs. JUCO. The question is choosing to go to a junior college instead of accepting a Division I offer.

And, yes, I would argue that a senior in college is going to make better decisions than a sophomore in college when it comes to eating habits, sleeping habits, study habits, work habits etc... There is certainly a huge difference in the maturity level of juniors and seniors than freshman and sophomores. I want my kid around peers who understand what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

Sure, it depends on the school. That's where doing our homework will come into play and making sure we are getting set up with coaches who are true to their word and who are men who will help my son get better at baseball and at life. And if all things are equal and it comes down to sign with a four-year or go to a junior college and then repeat the process in a year, I'll encourage him to choose the four-year.

I'm sure glad my parents let me make my own decisions and my future.

I keep hearing all this "we" and "our" stuff.

I was lucky if "we" went to dinner once every couple months.

Are bed time stories used at a later age these days?

Ty- what makes you think there is less teaching/coaching/instruction at a JUCO?

There has been great discussion here on this topic. I think Cade said it best.

There are so many variables with all the different D1 and JUCO colleges that one must understand how the situation of each college fits his personal situation and then make the decision.