Do high academic schools take JUCO tranfers?

Never say never. There are cases of JuCo players at some top academic institutions. A better question would be, "Are they likely to take JuCo players?" I believe it's more unlikely at colleges not competing to get into the CWS. The best research would be to check the rosters of the schools your son may be interested in attending. A lot of questions can be answered by examing rosters.

J23, Let those schools know that he is interested and they'll let you know. Grades are good out of high school, the problem may be that a lot of his courses may not transfer. Depending on the school of course. You say academic schools. Do you have any potential names that he may be interested in attending, or at least the type? i.e Ivies, NESCAC, Pomona?

Stanford. Yes.

quote:

Originally posted by BOF:
Stanford. Yes.

BOF, are you sure?
I am going back a number of years and don't remember any JC transfers at Stanford for baseball.
I cannot even think of a recent one in football or other sports, in the last 8-10 years. I am not necessarily saying there are not academic transfers, I am putting baseball and Stanford together.
The last transfer in I remember was Jeremy Guthrie who arrived from BYU after his mission.
Maybe I am missing someone, but I don't think so in baseball.

Yes they do.

J23, while I question the ability to transfer to Stanford, I completely agree that options exist to transfer to very strong academic/baseball programs.
I think playfair will support that with personal experience: a son who is a JC transfer headed to UVA next year.
On a local blog run by a former MLB scout, he posted that Santa Clara, a very, very good school has 3 JC kids in their 2010 NLI class. I believe he said that was the most in many, many years.
You will also find JC transfers in CA. at UC Davis, UC San Diego, UCSB and UCLA, although the latter might be tougher. If Cal baseball survives, they will surely use JC's as they have in the past.
fanofgame's son is a JC transfer doing very well at Southern California.
There can be lots of great schools which are open for a JC transfer who can really play and who can get it done in the classroom.

Rice had a team full of junior college transfers some years back.

I sent that very question out to about 50 western colleges and 1/2 of them did not take baseball transfers from JUCO. Alot were from Ca. You just need to contact them on an individual basis

Duke: No

quote:

The best research would be to check the rosters of the schools your son may be interested in attending. A lot of questions can be answered by examing rosters.

Rosters are a good place to start but don't be discouraged if you don't see any JC players at the school your son is intetested in. It might be they tried to land a JC player or two but were not sucessful. TIme will tell if your son is a "player" and coaches will go out of their way to land a kid thats a player and good fit.

Realistically, you most productive efforts will be dealing with the schools that traditionally scout your son's JC league and make contact with your son. I am not saying a phone call to Stanford won't work, I am just saying its a long shot. Many college coaches have their own networks of "sources" they use for JC players and its not always obvious who they are until they talk to your son or the coach. Some are very obvious and your son's JC coach knows who they are and can let them know of his interest. So I guess what I am saying is your son should have a talk with his JC coach about where he'd like to go and ask the coach if he can help him. Some JC coaches are very resourceful.

Just wanted to give some input based on own sons recruting story.Santa Clara, and many schools like JC transfers for several reasons.
1.The player has shown he can contribute at a level higher than HS
2.A coach can give a scolly for two years instead of four, and I was told by several coaches that with the landscape of college baseball and lack of scollys, they are going to look MORE to JC transfers in the coming years.

Biggest reason many dont, is they couldnt get them in.Way, way too many young players go to JC and

1.Are not qualifiers
2.Dont take the right classes and arent elgible to transfer.(this occurs soooo often people would be shocked)
3.Screw around in JC and dont have the grades that will attract these types of schools.

Top academic schools and baseball are tough.IMHO it is way tougher than JC ball and academics.The work load is much more intense.Especially in the classroom.

There was a comment on this thread or another about how colleges will make exceptionsto stud athletes.I think high end schools may take one or two kids that may struggle, but they cannot afford a roster full of players that cant handle the academics.its too much of a headache.They will monitor that you go to class, you miss you rununtil you will never want to miss again.And guess what , you just dont run the entire team runs for your inability to get yourself to class.

People give you money to play baseball, academic or athletic, well guess what?They expect you to earn it.

Work hard in the classroom, work hard at baseball and anything is possible.Never just depend on your skills on the field,unless you are a super super stud, in the cases of higher academic schools it isnt going to be enough.

fan,
Those are great thoughts, comments, and observations.
Well done! .

I know Cornell does, which I didn't expect because of its Ivy status.

fan,
Nice comments. I'd add that there are cases such as CollegeParentNoMore's son where the scholarship ends up being tied up only 1 year due to "early graduation" to the next level.

A friend of my son's was drafted out of a JC, took a scholarship to Fullerton instead and ended up back at the JC presumably due to 1, 2 or 3 from fan's post.

JMO, even if Stanford technically would take a JC transfer it is a virtual impossibility. I suppose that if a 1st pick in the draft type talent with matching academic credentials came to them from a JC they'd find a way.

I believe I have read that Stanford players take like 20 units a semester and are on target to graduate in three years.There would be NO way for a JC guy to be able to be on right track for that.

many just cant do it due to the classes that are required.

In my sons case he had taken a summer class after first year of JC.If he had not taken just that class he would not of been accepted.

Be very diligent with your academics.I just cant stress that enough.

Thanks infielddad,and CADad for the kind words.I have been a little reserved to post.

A fairly good player from Oxnard JC did get accepted at Stanford somehow with the intention of walking on. He didn't make the winter roster.

Wow,thats too bad if he was good.They have some really good players.I wonder if the kid stays and gets a Stanford education.Tough decision.

quote:

A fairly good player from Oxnard JC did get accepted at Stanford somehow with the intention of walking on. He didn't make the winter roster.

This would be a very, very tough year to succeed at Stanford as a walk on.
A few players like Chris O'Riordan and pitchers like David Stringer have done it in the past, but Stanford has 5-6 position players and 3 pitchers I can think of currently on the roster this year who would have been drafted in the first 3 rounds, if signable.
Even then, some still were picked as high as the 2nd round and offered over $1,500,000 to sign.
They are going to cut some kids from the Fall roster to get to 35, who are very, very good players.

I am a big believer in looking "at the numbers." Do high academic schools take JC transfers; yes, but the real question is what is the frequency.

I have tracked kids that have gone to our local JC's for about 6-years. From my prospective there are three reasons why kids go to the local JC:

1. They weren't qualifiers,
2. They didn't have the financial resources to attend a 4-year schools,
3. Or they wanted the opportunity to play that they were unable to get out of HS.

Generally if you weren't a qualifier out of HS the chances are remote that two years of JC will make one qualified for a "high academic school."

I have seen a good number of kids move on to one of the UC campuses. The generally don't move on to Cal or UCLA but they do go on to other campuses. And I have seen kids that had limited HS playing time play at the local JC that moved on to very good programs (this year there was a trio that went on to Pepperdine).

However, if you look at the numbers not just in my back yard but across the country the number of kids that move on to what I will call the top-25 academic programs out of JC are a "statistical rarity." Can it be done; sure but I wouldn't place a big bet on it.

JC programs are terrific; but one has to understand their purpose. They are state institutions whos purpose is to educate the kids from their area to move onto other state institutions. With this as a reality; don't go to your local JC with hopes of going to the Ivy League, Stanford, Vandy, Duke, etc.

quote:

Generally if you weren't a qualifier out of HS the chances are remote that two years of JC will make one qualified for a "high academic school."

This has been stated so often on here, and it is one of the most important aspects that all highschool players and parents should strive for.It is so much easier to transfer to 4 year school(just 4 year, not necessarily top academic). It gives you the ability to leave JC after one year if that ends up being an option.

My son, a LHP, is at a JUCO after leaving a West Coast D-1 program after his freshman year. He was spotted at a JUCO Showcase and was contacted by MANY D-1 colleges from around the country, Univ of Miami, USC, Univ of Oregon, Oregon State, and Univ of Mississippi for example.

He'll be at Ole Miss in 2011.

quote:

I have tracked kids that have gone to our local JC's for about 6-years. From my prospective there are three reasons why kids go to the local JC:

1. The weren't qualifiers,
2. They didn't have the financial resources to attend a 4-year schools,
3. Or they wanted the opportunity to play that they were unable to get out of HS.

A significant source of JC players are kids that were not satisfied at thier 4 year school and are looking for a better opportunity and/or can't make the 4 year schools team. Many of these players are academically able to attend "academic schools" when done at the JC.

I am not sure why some "academic" schools with lower profile baseball programs in competitive conferences don't recruit academically qualified JC players to fill obvious gaps in their lineups.

quote:

Originally posted by glen:
My son, a LHP, is at a JUCO after leaving a West Coast D-1 program after his freshman year. He was spotted at a JUCO Showcase and was contacted by MANY D-1 colleges from around the country, Univ of Miami, USC, Univ of Oregon, Oregon State, and Univ of Mississippi for example.

He'll be at Ole Miss in 2011.

While the schools you listed are all good colleges they are not the high end academic colleges the poster is asking about.

glen,
Welcome to the HSBBW.
I have read about your son's journey out of the WCC and to Ole Miss.
Congratulations!
Sorry you seem to be getting a scolding for your first efforts.
Keep at it.
Good baseball journeys are very welcome...and I do think USC is considered a pretty darn good academic school.

quote:

glen,
Welcome to the HSBBW.
I have read about your son's journey out of the WCC and to Ole Miss.
Congratulations!
Sorry you seem to be getting a scolding for your first efforts.
Keep at it.
Good baseball journeys are very welcome...and I do think USC is considered a pretty darn good academic school.

From what I have noticed from some of the Southern JC's:
1. The players are very good
2. Often times the players grades or test scores are poor coming out of high school.
3. A high percentage of the players have few if any social skills and stay in trouble off the field but that is ok with the coaching staff.
4. Players that stay out of trouble & have good/great grades are given no preference when it comes to playing time.
5. Most schools are only interested in the players being eligible and the schools have little if any academic advising.
6. Some kids that have the skills to go D1 must go NAIA because the coach,school, academic dept., etc... did not have the players take the correct academic courses to graduate with their associates degree.

IMO, JC's that sign & play kids while the player is taking the minium number of hours to stay eligible and most of the courses are a joke are not doing the player or program any favors. If the player cannot pass the normal academic course load required to attend a D1 they should not be recruited and signed to a JC.

Thanks to all of you who have posted here. My frosh is unsure at this point what path he would like to take and unfortunately for both he and his family, money is a big issue. He has worked more diligently on his academics than he has at baseball, and he has worked very hard ad his baseball skills. I will discuss with him information posted here, and i know that it will help him/us make the best deciasion possible for him. For now it's huge anticipation for the upcoming season and lots of growth and development, both on and off the field. He's got a good start, Lord, please keep him healthy!!

quote:

3. A high percentage of the players have few if any social skills and stay in trouble off the field but that is ok with the coaching staff

Seriously?

I disagree with your points 3-6!

How a coaching staff deals with problem players differs greatly from coach to coach more then it does from JC to D1 etc. The two D1 schools my son went to were almost polar opposites in dealing with kids and based upon my sons travels, including summer ball, there are plenty of D1 coaches that fit your description of JC coaches to a "T". I don't think you have to look very far to find a lot of JC coaches devoted to helping their players move on whether its D3 or the pros.

Picking a JC is just like picking a D1, you need to find the coach that's right for your son and has a genuine interest in him as a player.

btw, there are plenty of D1 players that don't have much interest in school other then remaining eligable. That's on the student, not the coach.

I agree with you, CollegeParentNoMore.

cbg, where are you getting this info? JUCO was definitely the right choice for my son, and not because of academics. He is ranked 5th in his class and plans to enroll in the honors program there. Most definitely not because of character.

J23, if you haven't already read it, this is a good thread about JUCOs.

Cbg is definitely off base and somewhat insulting.

Son plays at a 'southern' juco and there is truth in cbg's post. However, the juco route has been great for our family.

Regarding cbg's points:
1. Absolutely true. Very competitive.
2.. Not true always...but for many, this is the case.
3. While it's true that some players get into 'trouble' (by the way, they get in trouble at D1s also)....definitely NOT ok with coaches.
4. This is true. However, I expect a coach to play his best players who give him the best chance to win. If my son is among those in coach's view - he plays. If not - he sits. Good grades or not.
5. In our experience this is pretty much true. But - we expected this and wouldn't turn our son's academic future completely over to a coach or academic advisor anyway. We have remained involved and made sure our son has stayed on track to get his AA degree and get ready (with good grades) for a 4 year progam. And, he's doing it on time.
6. If this happens to ANY player....this is not to be put onto a coach or advisor. This - sorry to say - is the player's and the parent's fault. From my view...the player and player's family need to stay on top of the requirements, along with getting the required GPA/grades.

There is truth to cbg's post, but keep in mind that it is the player's future so the player (and parents) should be most responsible for seeing that things work out as you want them to. Nobody else's. The coach's responsibility is winning baseball games and developing talent in your son, with some mentoring/guidance thrown in ... if you're lucky.

For what it's worth.....

quote:

Originally posted by baseballguy:
There is truth to cbg's post, but keep in mind that it is the player's future so the player (and parents) should be most responsible for seeing that things work out as you want them to. Nobody else's. The coach's responsibility is winning baseball games and developing talent in your son, with some mentoring/guidance thrown in ... if you're lucky.

For what it's worth.....

Agree %100. I am a big fan of the JuCo route for some players and I think that JuCos can be a smart, sensible route for players who either anticipate being drafted or who need to get a little more "seasoning." With that said, it is ALWAYS up to the student athlete to take control of his destiny and prepare himself for the next set of challenges (academic or otherwise).

The problem that I have with the player/family/parents being responsible for their own academic destiny is that quite often those people don't have the skills necessary to be responsible. Even the top academic students need guidance as to what courses they should take and when they should take the courses. The parents/family members many times have never been to college much less have a degree of any type and they are of no help to the student/athlete. IMO, it is the responsibility of the school, athletic department and coaching staff to make sure the student/athlete is taking the required course load to receive their associates degree in two years. If the player graduates from a JC in two years they will have many more opportuities to move onto a four year school. If someone stays at a JC for three years and has excellent grades it becomes very difficult to transfer to a D1 school due to the rule about transferable hours towards a degree.

I the most important reason to start at a JC is because there is a big penalty for moving backward through the system (ex, 4-2-4 transfer). And, a big upside for moving forward through the system (academic progress and more lenient gpa/sat-act requirements).

cbg you are painting JCs and D1s with a very broad brush. The other side of the fence (D1) is not always greener and has its fair share of bad counslers, coaches, students etc. Not much different from JCs. My son's JC had a fantastic counsler for the baseball players.

Every college has a list of requirements for graduation in its course catalog, I don't think its too much to ask the student to invest some time in reading and understanding the requirments and then consulting with their advisor/counsler/coach whether its a D1 or JC.

quote:

If someone stays at a JC for three years and has excellent grades it becomes very difficult to transfer to a D1 school due to the rule about transferable hours towards a degree.

Not really sure where your going with this. I am not sure how three years makes it harder to transfer as I suspect most 4 year schools don't care if you spent 2 or 3 years at the JC as long as you have the required classes and grades....When I went to school most 4 year schools only allowed transfers to count 60 or 64 semester units from another school towards graduation...., whether from a JC or UCLA.

From an NCAA standpoint if you've been at a JC for 3 full years, i.e. enrolled full time for 6 semesters, then you have to have completed 60% of the coursework in your major to be able to play baseball the year that you transfer. It is very difficult to complete 60% of most majors at a JC.

If you are talking a straight academic transfer with no sports involved then there should be no difference between being at a JC 2 or 3 years.

That is one reason that some JC players do not enroll full time their first semester in the fall.

CADad,
So, if the JC player enrolls part time the first semester, does that eliminate any such requirements?
I am hearing that some JC's ask players to redshirt first year, so I would like to be informed of the potential consequences.

quote:

Originally posted by CADad:
From an NCAA standpoint if you've been at a JC for 3 full years, i.e. enrolled full time for 6 semesters, then you have to have completed 60% of the coursework in your major to be able to play baseball the year that you transfer. It is very difficult to complete 60% of most majors at a JC.

If you are talking a straight academic transfer with no sports involved then there should be no difference between being at a JC 2 or 3 years.

That is one reason that some JC players do not enroll full time their first semester in the fall.

Bumping this old thread... can someone please elaborate on this?
Is there a way to avoid this rule and still redshirt as a JC freshman? Does the part-time enrollment first fall semester do the trick? Does this prevent the player from participating in the fall?
Son's goal is to play with a good 4yr program at some point and the JC route has come up as a viable alternative to getting there. One of his favorite options is known to RS freshmen. We want to make sure we know all the pros and cons.

Cabbage.

If you have a specific question call the NCAA. I have been extremely happy with how they handled my questions. I was concerned at one point about doing a 3-2 program and red shirting one year and was completely satisfied with how they handled my questions. This was going from one NCAA school to another and we did not want him to have to sit out a year.

I am not sure if what CADad is referring to is true as a JC transfer. He is usually pretty thorough however.

What I do know is:

1. If he grey shirts he is technically not there and his NCAA 5 year clock does not start.
2. You can redshirt your first year at a JC, play your second and then transfer to a 4 year school with 3 years of eligibility left. You will have to get your AA degree going from a JC to 4 year, unless you are a qualified out of high school, which I would make sure your son does even if he goes the JC route.