JUCO vs going Strait D1 D2 D3

It really depends upon your situation. If you aren't getting any/sufficient interest from a 4 year school and you want to play, then a JC is really your only choice....if you want to continue playing.

As far as CA JUCO's go, I don't think they have recruiting budgets. You are on your own dime to make a visit in CA.

If you choose the correct Juco program and do not feel like it would be in your best interest to possibly sit on the bench until you get a chance to play or if you know that you really need more playing time to refine your skills then Juco is the place to go. If you decide D1 is your option be realistic about playing time and be willing to compete for a spot with several others. A competitive Juco program may also have several kids to compete for PT as well. Most all kids that go to Juco get some playing time as they play so many games.
If you need to work on grades and test scores then Juco is probably the better choice.
Baseball is a very difficult sport because you miss so much school. Be sure you have the academic ability to stay on top of things.
Playing in a large D1 program is quite exciting due to crowds, TV, perks you get from sponsors etc.. Just remember not all D1's are the same . There are some smaller D1's that have great programs but they don't have the glamour that some are looking for. Good Luck .

Also note that going to a JUCO doesn't guarantee moving on to a 4 yr school. Many of my son's high school friends that went the JUCO route have finished with their sophomore season with nothing else in the horizon.

If you are good enough to have some D-1 interest but want to insure playing time then the JUCO route may be a good one for you. I believe that a JUCO program has 24 Scholarships to give out if they are a member of NJCAA. Here in Florida the scholarship includes Tuition, Books, Room and Board (usually in a 2 bedroom condo 4 players to a condo) a "food plan" (usually not very good, this is a JUCO) that does not include dinner. You may get a stipend for a dinner allowance. Manatee Junior College (Fl) has the best food plan that I have seen.

We have enjoyed having our son play at this level since he has experienced ample playing time. We have one player from Ontario on our team now. I know of a pitcher from Ontario also, that plays at Hillsborough (Fl) also.

Make sure you check out how much the coach does to help you move on to the next level. Some don't do all that much. However, it is up to the player to put up the numbers to get that interest in the first place.

People keeping intimating that JUCO means you play right off the bat or at the very least get more playing time----Not really true---the best players play and they bring in many more "studs" that D-1 programs


You still have to win your spot in the lineup, regardless of where you play

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
People keeping intimating that JUCO means you play right off the bat or at the very least get more playing time----Not really true---the best players play and they bring in many more "studs" that D-1 programs


You still have to win your spot in the lineup, regardless of where you play

This is good advice.....no matter what they tell you in recruiting, no matter how well you did against the HS competition, and no matter what your opinion of yourself is....

You got to win a spot by performing....

Yes, that is correct. In college you have to earn your spot. Due to the fact that Juco's play so many games and play a fall and spring schedule the chance for you to play is a little greater. It does not mean that you will be a starter.
Kids and parents need to realize that in college you have to compete for a spot.

If you plan to attend a Juco such as Howard, Chipola, Walter, or any Juco at that level of play youll be competing against some of the best.

Along with a list of great Texas Jucos.

As said before, you have to win a spot on the roster. At many California Jucos you compete against 70-100 players in the fall. About a third drop out in the first few weeks. Mid way though the fall, you realize about a third of the starters are studs that have dropped down from D1's for some reason or HS studs looking to move up in the MLB draft. Another third of the starters redshirted and spent the first year or two getting bigger/stronger and improving their game. Its a very competitive environment, but the reward is being seen by 4-6 college coaches and 4-6 MLB scouts each game if you can crack the starting line up (they usually leave by they 6th inning). In the fall our team played 20 inning games twice a week. Almost everyone got some playing time. You know where you stand based upon which inning you go in, the best start, the worst finish. At our school about 6-7 players will advance to a four year program and its a very highly highly ranked program in California.

DG,

I am curious what league your son plays in. My son is at a CA. JC and what you described is exactly what goes on to the exact word. My son cracked the line up as a true fresh. and started every game.Almost 200 at bats this season, not counting fall.
Previous posters are right, it isnt a easy place to play either.Lots of people assume JC they can play right away. It is work no matter what level it is.
Many of my sons teams Sophmores are moving on to 4 year schools as well.
And the scouts both college and MLB are there as you stated. Talk about exposure.

Fan,

My son redshirted at Merced. Doesn't your son play at Sierra?

Keep in mind that there are no short cuts in this process

Another issue is if the juco you are looking at carries a huge roster. Some carry way more that others. Some teams carry too many and there is very likely a chance you could never see the field. It would be somewhat like a tryout camp.
I know of coaches that do not want to have a huge roster because it causes more trouble that it is worth.

The #1 ranked Juco in the country has 31 of their 35 players that were ranked (by us) while in high school. 26 had attended a Perfect Game event and the lowest grade given to any of them was an 8. That means there are several DI caliber players sitting on the bench at this JC.

Not really the normal JC team, of course. They were 57-0 last time I checked. There are many JC's in the country that are loaded with DI talent. A player really needs to stand out in order to see the playing field at those schools. So thinking a player can simply attend one of these schools and get playing time could be a big mistake.

After 1 year of JUCO we are very happy that this is the route my son chose to go. Although the season ended a little early for our team it was a great experience and one that we as a family were able to share since the field was about 2 hours away.

Everyone did not play and there were few substitutions. The line-up pretty much stayed the same all season.

floridafan,

pretty much the same at my sons JC. My sons team is still in playoffs, he just left this morning, we will go tomorrow for their first game.We won our first series by a lot of luck. We lost our first game, won the second in the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs and a walk off 2 run HR, and then won the third.
We also enjoyed watching the team.My son and I had a great discussion at the dinner table last night, I asked him if he had any regrets not going to a 4 year, he said no that he had made the right decision.
I think for the original poster, it is a very individual thing.I do agree with previous posters, do not go into a JUCO situation thinking its a easy place to play. On my sons team we had 5 D1 guys, that had come back. Three pitchers, two position players. And 2 D2 guys, either hardly played.2 of the pitchers hardly pitched.
Many kids go to JC becasue maybe they didn't have grades, or are returning from programs that did't work out.Look at all your options, be realistic when looking at rosters, and make the best decision thats a good fit for your son. Actually your son should be making the decision, its his life in the end.

Talk about jinxing... I mention 57-0 and they lose their next game.

I had this same question and was browsing thru the posts trying to find some advice. I have received some recruiting from 3 JUCOs... all in my area, and all have seen me play and of course promise I will be a starter and I will get lots of time. I have also been to a D2 that is recruiting me as well... this D2 is relatively new and is not a winning program. Most of the recruits I met there were older guys who had finished up their JUCO eligibility... I am trying to figure out what is best... they, too, have said I would have a shot and I would make an immediate impact...

BUT can you transfer from D2 to D1? Will there seriously be any exposure at a D2 that is new and not winning? I appreciate all opinions..

We have been very happy with the JUCO route, it allows for the most options moving forward. You get to take it one year at a time.

quote:

they, too, have said I would have a shot and I would make an immediate impact...

Where have we heard that before ???

Do these coaches all go to the same school of recruiting?

Catching,
I believe that the transfer rule applies for a D2 to D1 transfer and you would either have to sit out a year or go to a JC for a year and then to the D1.

If exposure is your goal my guess is that you'd get more at a JC than the D2 I'm guessing you are talking about. Only guesses though.

Don't forget to factor in your academic goals. Does the D2 have the major you're interested in?

BTW, almost all of the JCs around here have a summer baseball class that is starting up and if you decide to go the JC route it is time to get signed up now.

JMO, but unless the player feels that they are going to get a large amount of playing time @ the D1 their freshmen year they are better off going to a JUCO. Ask yourself a question: Would a D1 program want a kid that has played in 75+ games over a 2 year period or someone that has played 15 games over a 2 year period? IMO, the experience that one gains from playing is much greater than what one gains from watching others play. From a financial point of view most JUCO's have much more scholarship $$$ to offer than the D1 schools. The last variable is academics: With JUCO's having fewer students most students make better grades becuase they have less distractions and are able to focus more on their academics. I have seen kids go to a JUCO and end up at a great D1 school because they were a good player (not great) with a 3.50+ @ the JUCO and the D1 could get them with academic money instead of baseball money. Most players that are going to end up at a state school would probably be better served going to a JUCO first. If the student/athlete is capable of attending one of the Ivy League schools that is something different.

Regarding the above post:

If you have good grades and good test scores in high school, they are somewhat wasted when going to a JC. You'll have to get the same or better grades in the JC to get into a 4-year school.

If you want to get a 4-year degree in 4 years, it probably won't happen if you go to a JC first. Sure you can take transferable classes, but that doesn't take care of prerequisites that are needed within the major, unless you're majoring in general ed.

So, sure it makes sense baseball wise, or for students that didn't get good grades in high school, but if your main goal is to get a useful degree in less than 5 years, it may not make sense for academics.

Just have to disagree with a couple points made.First no question about it, grades are the most important aspect of all of it.
But it is not true that you are wasting time at a Jc if you were a good highschool student.My son is at a junior college and just finished his first year.he has a 3.3 overall from JC.That GPA will get him in just about anywhere except maybe IVIES and Stanford.
We have been on a few recruiting trips,and they told my son that the biggest reason players do not make it out of JC to D1 programs is grades. One coach told us he would love to recruit more players from JC but they never can get them in(private schools)(and UC).
I only have my year of experience, but the biggest thing kids do wrong at the JC is grades, and not seeing a counselor and getting the right classes.
If you take legit classes, and follow the IGETSE)in Ca.) Don't know if they use it else where.The classes transfer to UC and state schools.Every class my son has taken transfers at every school we have visited so far, And he can even leave JC after one year.it can be done.
Kids do transfer, and they do get recruited.A lot more than people think.I think a JC kid can still finish in 4 years if he takes 30 units at the JC.

Fan I agree. I have seen lots of guys graduate JC and go on to play at top D1 colleges. I have also seen many who have not kept their academics up and were unable to go to a 4 year college.
We looked at several JCs but decided to go straight to D1 and what ever happened , happened.

quote:

Originally posted by fanofgame:
But it is not true that you are wasting time at a Jc if you were a good highschool student.

If you take legit classes, and follow the IGETSE)in Ca.) Don't know if they use it else where.The classes transfer to UC and state schools.Every class my son has taken transfers at every school we have visited so far, And he can even leave JC after one year.it can be done.

Kids do transfer, and they do get recruited.A lot more than people think.I think a JC kid can still finish in 4 years if he takes 30 units at the JC.

Sorry if you thought I meant a JC student is wasting time at the JC. My point (actually my son's point) is that taking a demanding high school schedule and studying for and taking the ACT, SAT, SAT II, sometimes multiple times, takes up a lot of time during the HIGH SCHOOL years. He feels he will have wasted that time and effort of his high school years if he goes to a JC.

I went the CA JC route myself, and took 100% transferrable classes as well. All my units transferred. However, when transferring to the 4-year school, there were classes within the major that needed to be taken before I could get on coarse with the final two years of the 4-year school. Those classes weren't offered at the JC.

I am not against the JC route, but there are some valid reasons not to choose that route. And, as some have stressed here, you really want to make sure the classes transfer if you're looking to get a degree at the finish line.

As far as recruitment, look at the rosters for most of the UC schools and you will see nearly 50% JC transfers. There is great recruitment at the CA JC's.

What that number doesn't show is that 50-100 kids are invited to show up at these JC's each year and half are weeded out before spring season. And half of those that make the team don't see the field. So 75% of those thinking the JC route is their path to a 4-year school are not going to be recruited at all.

quote:

What that number doesn't show is that 50-100 kids are invited to show up at these JC's each year and half are weeded out before spring season. And half of those that make the team don't see the field. So 75% of those thinking the JC route is their path to a 4-year school are not going to be recruited at all

We have one of the nation's most competitive JUCO conferences in the country here in AZ.This is a wood bat league, and you'd better be a legit dude to play at many of these schools.
The most common mistake I see made is the assumption that the player will get on the field in these programs. I think many players would be better off finding a good NAIA or D2/D3 program if they are serious about moving on.
If you are a strong student coming out of HS and stand to get academic$....you likely are throwing this away. I've never seen academic $ awarded to JUCO transfers but it could be happening at some schools.
Many players choose the JUCO route due to simple affordability. Many families don't have the ability to pay for a significant portion of the 4 year cost. West coast privae schools alll run in the area of $50,000 per year... a 50% scholly isn't enough for many folks.
I think its also important to realize that when players are signed out of JUCOs to D1 programs, they are typically expected to come in and be impact guys...the players who began in the D1 program as freshman have developed a relationship with the staff, know what they expect and have an upper hand. The time "on the bench" isn't wasted as many have suggested, they have paid their dues.
There's no magic formula or short cut as TR said. Find your fit and go play.

This is a good post, I cannot agree more with what has been said. With that said, for both baseball and academics, the one that works hard is rewarded. Affordability and academics keep many from getting into the larger schools. Only one school, JC offered, we were fortunate it has a good baseball program, son was recommended by summer program. In 9 months or more, I hope to update with positive results.

It is a grave misconception that going to a JUCO means you walk on campus and you are all set---NOT SO !!!!In many ways it is tougher to crack the starting lineup than it is in other places.

My son chose the D1 route out of high school because he,as many players, thought JUCO baseball didn't measure up against D1 baseball and he ended up switching to JUCO for his 2nd year. There were 80+ players at the D1 and most were personally recruited by the head coach. He kept cutting every week until he got down to his 35 and although son was still left after the cuts, it wasn't the program he thought it was when he was recruited. There were 50+ players in the fall at the JUCO and coach did cut players before the spring but many were cut for non baseball related offenses. Many JUCO's are in small towns with not a whole lot to do and some boys get into trouble with too much time on their hands. My son feels that his baseball coaches at the JUCO were great hitting and pitching coaches while spending more time with the players than most D1 coaches. The best kids played and we had at least 7 get D1 offers for next year. JUCO is a great route to consider for baseball and worked out well for my son. He had a great experience at the 2009 National Champion JUCO and is now headed to a big D1 with his associate degree. As with any school, do your homework and I think the only thing you know for certain at any school is that the best players in the coaches eyes will be the players on the field.

Good post NRPMOM.Many people continue to think JC ball is inferior.A head coach ata D1 school who invited my son to look at school last week said that he would recruit more from the JC route, but most guys do not have the grades.keep your grades up at the JC and your options even get better.

NRPMom... great post! My son, too, has finished his two years at a JUCO with virutually all of his classes being transferrable. His conference was the same as yours, NRPMom. AND, like your son, he is moving on to a great D1 school.

I have gotten EXTREMLY irritated and tired over the years with the assumption that he went the JUCO route because he was somehow intellectually inferior. He is not.

I have also grown tired of the assumption that ALL JUCOs over recruit. That was NEVER the case at my son's JUCO. In the two years he was there, there was maybe 40 players in the fall... probably more like 35.

D1s, D2s, or D3s are obviously great options out of high school; however, JUCOs are also a great option as well!

I agree that people think Juco is a place that inferior students go. Many parents are into status and appearances, and many kids get caught up in that as well.I agree that not all Juco schools over recruit,but at my sons there were 120 kids in the fall. They were not all recruited, and honestly many cut themselves.By the end the coach didn't have to make that many cuts.
After one year at a JC I look back and am so glad my son went there.He has grown up so much and is so much more ready to move on then a year ago.He laearned a lot about himself, and had a good year.
As a parent I have learned that each family must make the best decision for themselves.its the right decision if it is right for your kid, a good fit for your son and your family.My son had friends go to D1 schools, neither played one inning.One loves the school and is so happy with his decision, the other is still considering not going back.
The boy that is happy is at a good private school, understands that his education is important and his parents are paying all of it.We could not do that, and affordability does come nto play at the privates.Many families pay the full tuition at these schools.I have met several this summer.They can afford it, they are very into the education for their sons and do not want thier sons ata JC.
That does not offend me, I understand their position,that is their family and thier choice.We can only do what is best for our own children, doesnt matter what anyone else thinks about it.
That being said,Thrit is correct that you can not assume that becasue its JUCO you will play.There are really good players at Jucos around the country.Getting GE credits that transfer for 300.00 a semester is not bad either.
In the end we all hope our sons have 4 year degrees.No one will know if they went to a Juco when they graduate. Their diploma will say whatever 4 year school they went to.So I wouldnt get offended by people saying our boys are inferior academically. Who cares what people say. My son had very good grades, that wasnt why he went JUco route.
I find that with baseball and acadmics parents always want to compete and compare.who cares.My family made a good decision, sounds like above posters made good decisions, and best of luck.For others who want their kids a t a 4 year out of HS, best of luck to your sons as well.Get the degree one way or another, thats whats important.