Has anyone’s DC been to junior college in the US?

[mckenzie]

We’re after some tips, advice, information etc if anyone can help.
DS has been offered 2 places and is very keen to go

Yank here. I have one son in 4 year college/uni now and a DD who is looking. What would you like to know?

My DS is currently in his third year. He got a football scholarship and is doing a business degree. If going through the scholarship route it is definitely worth using a reputable specialist agency (we used Pass4Soccer); they can put you in front of a larger number of colleges and will help negotiating offers, help with the visa etc. Comes at a cost but was worth it. It's quite a long process, you will probably have to sit a test (used to be called SAT, not sure if it's changed), and the visa process takes a while - we had to go to the us embassy in London. Bear in mind the costs - no student loan. Flights, insurance, living expenses etc all add up, even with a full scholarship. Also it's not for everyone - DS is the only one of an intake of 5 English boys who are still there, homesickness takes its toll and is tougher than being at uni in the UK. It is a fantastic experience though, best decision DS has made so far!

thank you folks.

for DS it's junior college to start as his GCSE grades weren't good enough to get him a DIV1 at the moment. We are using a specialist agency.
I'm concerned that there might be hidden costs that we haven't considered. DS has a scholarship that will cover tuition, books, fees and his sport competitions etc but we have to pay for housing and food. We are being quoted circa US$5k for the year. plus flights to and from the UK of course. plus medical insurance and travel insurance.
Anything else we need to consider?
Does this sound about right?

We've just had a call with the coach who has offered DS the place. It looks like it's going to happen. Oh dear. I'm for DS but for myself.

$5k per year for housing and meal plan is a little less than half of what it costs at my son's college. You might want to confirm that that is the amount for the entire academic year, fall through spring, and not just one semester.

He'll need some spending money too of course. You'll have to make some banking arrangements for him so that he'll have a debit card. Perhaps a bank that has a presence in the US and UK like HSBC will be able to accommodate that need.

New clothes as well, especially winter wear. Depending on where he'll be winters can be much harsher here.

Make sure it’s nationally accredited. Junior colleges in the US can sometimes have only regional accreditation, which makes it difficult to transfer the credits when you leave.

What's the location? Cost of living varies significantly between different cities and states. $5K wouldn't have gone very far where I studied in the NYC area.

Agree with the comment to check accreditation so that your DS can transfer to a four year university to finish his BA.

You MUST get a quote for medical insurance before you accept a place. Will it cover his sports, what happens if he travels out of state or country to compete. What is the copay, the deductible and the out of pocket maximum. What happens for precriptions and durable medical equipment (splints and such). Do you have financial flexibility to cover the bills for what his insurance doesnt cover.

thank you all for the posts.

MissConductUS, it's in the midwest so definitely he'll need winter clothing. How much are tuition fees at Junior College on average please?

Mimibunz/brookshelley, I've asked DS to find out asap about accreditation.

SeaToSki, can you recommend a company for the medical insurance? is that something that you have had to arrange for your DC?

TIA

OP, I recommend Lands End for the winter kit. You can order from the UK site before he goes or the US site once he's here and have it shipped directly to him at college.

He's getting tuition and fees covered by his athletic scholarship, correct? I don't know if there are any statistics available on averages. If you PM me the name of the school I'll have a look at the fees for you.

Most colleges here offer medical insurance to students if they're not on their parent's policy, so that's something you can check with the college.

You should ask the coach, and/or the school. They will probably have a group policy (that you buy into) that covers the students, just make sure they are telling you about one for international students not US ones, and that it covers the sport. Otherwise look at
www.uhc.com/individual-and-family/insurance-plans/student-health-insurance
as my DS school used them for a group policy, not sure if they do international though and not sure about the sport.

You should ask the coach, and/or the school.

Don't ask the coach. His or her only interest is getting a new player for his team and will tell you that the streets are paved with gold and that milk and honey run from every tree.

It's quite a long process, you will probably have to sit a test (used to be called SAT, not sure if it's changed)

It is still the SAT. There is also an alternative test called the ACT that most universities will accept. Some are now test optional, which means that they will admit based just on your academic record, but that's a much higher bar, especially for an international student, as they will not be familiar with your secondary school.

My DS is also Midwest. Most of his clothes are part of his scholarship award, he gets a new set of kit every year including winter sports coat, a few pairs of tracksuit bottoms, tops etc and he lives in those mainly. They aren't big into labels etc where he is and he went almost overnight from fashion conscious to chilled out clothes wise. Apart from his football boots that is - they have to be the latest! I too would agree it's a bit more than £5k on living expenses etc, especially if they move out of hall in the second year. We also came under severe pressure for a car in the second year. All the US kids have them and nobody walks anywhere . Particularly in the winter months as well, when it is so so cold. There is also tax on the scholarship, which they can reclaim but it takes ages for the refund to come through. And books may or may not be included in the scholarship - these have been really expensive, not even a book in most cases just a download key for 100 dollars on one occasion.Costs wise, even with a full scholarship, his uni costs will come to more than his older brother and sister put together! Also bear in mind that university facilities will vary wildly. DS has a friend in a different part of the states with much inferior sports facilities. Transfers are easier than here though so it isn't the end of the world if the initial choice isn't great. As you'd expect, success on the sports field results in a wider choice.
One last thing to bear in mind - at DS uni the scholarship amount can vary from year to year. Do well on the field and you will stay at 100%. Struggle to perform and that percentage will drop. This may not be the same everywhere but it did happen to a couple of boys - the coaches are judged on their team performance and the budget is limited.
Having said all of the above, DS has had the time of his life and doesn't regret a thing. Go for it!

thank you all for the extra posts.
There is so much to consider but DS is so very keen and confident that I don't really want to come up with anything that will mean us saying no .

I want to clarify are you talking about high school or uni?