By: Lance Fite
There will always be two sides to a coin and comparatively two sides “pro and con” when discussing the transition from junior college to a four-year school. Athletics seems to be the more practical reason for student athletes urge to make small steps towards university athletics rather than the giant leap from high school. Seemingly so, Russell Gregory of the Mesa State Men’s basketball team, also a former Fresno City Community College athlete, was in the same boat as many transfer athletes. Focusing on most of the positive aspects of junior college, Gregory says, “both athletically and academically I wouldn’t have been able to make the transition from high school directly to a four year school.” As prideful as most athletes are, Gregory put his lively hood to the side as he mentioned the physical advantages in training at a community college. “Four year athletes are that much more physically sound, the pace of the game is so much quicker and physical than that of a high school game, not saying it cant be done but it takes quite an athlete to make the transition smoothly.”
Needless to say, the word “student” comes before “athlete” in the word student-athlete and after all, college is aimed at a person’s academic future. Financially, general education credits or those credits aimed at a general education associates degree, is comparatively cheaper at a junior college than at a four-year school. The main goal of a community college is to give the students opportunity for a quick two-year Associates Degree and does so with relative ease and fiscal strain.
Though not all athletes believe the positive hype surrounding the junior college opportunity both academically and athletically. Michael Bear, a Junior forward for the Mesa State Men’s basketball program has been in the MSC program since his freshman year immediately following his senior year in high school. Agreeing with the tough physical transition on the court, Bear looked at the team and family aspect of growing in a single athletic system to be most beneficial. “ Junior college is good for those who need it, I think it was nice being in a system, with the same coaches, same campus environment, and same core professors for my entire college career. I’ve met some of my closest friends in those few years and I think it would be tough on me to have to meet them and leave and try to start from scratch some where else.”
The fear some college students have of leaving the comfort they are used to may in fact happen twice to a junior college transfer student. However, hundreds of thousands of students and student athletes alike make this transition on a normal basis. It takes quite an athlete to make the transfer of schools and athletic systems smoothly, but takes quite a person to endure the social, environmental and academic transition in the same sense of ease.