The next aspiring student-athlete in our family is about to embark on their journey. After his older sister left for the USA two years ago on a tennis scholarship, our son Tom will also be the US for college tennis . And as is often the case: two children, two very different paths, especially when it comes to tennis scholarships. To give you a preview: Tom has opted for a junior college and will begin studying and training at Wallace State Community College in Alabama in August. But what exactly are the differences between a two-year junior college and a four-year college ? We want to explain that to you in this blog post. And of course, we'll also share how the process has gone for us so far, from application to decision, over the past few months. Because even as parents, we've discovered that, although we've gone through the process twice now, there are still many, many differences and always something new!
For our 17-year-old son Tom (pictured above), it had been clear for several years: he wanted to go to college on a tennis scholarship after graduating from high school. Since Tom's sister Mia, two years older, also went to the States after graduating from high school, we were familiar with the basic steps. You can read more about it in our blog series "Mia's Path to a Tennis Scholarship in the USA ." Despite many similarities, there were and still are many things that are new and quite different for Tom.
Let's start with something we have in common: it was clear to us that we wanted to work with Keystone Sports . A reliable partner is simply very important to us. However, a major difference with Tom was when we, as his parents, started looking into the topic of tennis scholarships. Last July, Tom participated in the Keystone Sports College Tennis Showcase in Leverkusen. There, he got his first taste of college tennis and was even more convinced afterward that he wanted to become an Athlete Student. Feel free to read our Showcase blog post about it .
So, in the fall, we recorded his application video, had all his existing certificates translated, and completed all the tasks Keystone had assigned us by November. Then Tom's profile was put online, and the first offers from coaches came in quite quickly. Tom has a German Tennis Federation (DTB) ranking of 4 and isn't on the German men's ranking list, so while some offers were certainly interesting, they weren't financially feasible. One of Tom's teammates is currently at a junior college and is very enthusiastic about it, so we actually started looking into two-year universities in addition to the four-year ones. Tom received numerous offers from these junior colleges that were attractive both in terms of tennis and affordability. So, at the end of January, Tom decided on Wallace State Community College, a junior college in Alabama. The enrollment process is currently in full swing. It's exciting!
The American higher education system generally offers students a four-year bachelor's degree program at a college or university . As an alternative pathway, there are junior colleges or community colleges where students spend two years associate degrees and certificates These qualifications allow them to then transfer to a four-year university and complete their bachelor's degree in an additional two years of study. The transition is usually seamless, and students can continue their studies without any problems.
Besides the length of study, there are other differences:
Choosing a university is a complex process and depends on the weighting of individual factors for each prospective student-athlete: What do I want to achieve athletically and academically? What financial resources are available? Do I want to start at a smaller university in a more manageable environment, or would a large university be more suitable? There are many other questions as well, and the consultants at Keystone Sports can be very helpful in answering them, contributing their expertise.
In any case, JUCOS are a good alternative to the usual four-year universities and should definitely not be excluded from the selection process. Unless, of course, your child wants to pursue a career as a professional tennis player through college tennis.
What do we, as parents, need to consider in general, but especially as parents, when our child is pursuing a tennis scholarship at a US college? How can we best support our child in this multifaceted process, from the initial idea to the concrete step of crossing the Atlantic? So many questions, all waiting for answers.
Therefore, I would like to warmly invite free college tennis webinar for parents on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. Sandy Franz from Keystone Sports and me your questions in a relaxed and informal setting. And I'm sure you'll have plenty, right? Whether you've just started looking into college tennis or are already in the middle of the application process, we will certainly be able to answer your questions. And we'll do so openly and honestly, just as you've come to expect from us.
For those who would like to delve deeper into the topic, various blog articles are available in our special feature. Enjoy!
In the meantime, if you have any questions about college scholarships or would like to know specifically how we approached things, please feel free to contact me at any time
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