FAQs

A postgraduate, or “PG semester” as it is often called, is a full or half academic semester of study generally pursued between graduation from high school and matriculation at a college or university. A PG semester is offered at many independent schools throughout the country and usually involves a residential experience. JP Bandits is one of the only true post graduate programs in the Southeast devoted exclusively to the education of young men in a post graduate semester of study.

Anyone. Reasons for pursuing a postgraduate program are almost as varied as the interests, personalities, and ability range of any broad cross-section of college bound students. But more specifically why a postgraduate football program?

1)Student who may need another semester/year after high school to develop basic academic skills. A student-athlete may have put more emphasis on athletics and less on studies in high school. 

2)Students who may need another semester/year of development on the field.

3)Students who need another semester/year of exposure and/or film.

4)Students who may have played out of position.

5)Students who may have suffered an injury during their high school career.

6)Students may find themselves with college choices which no longer match their needs, but are beyond the point at which it is feasible to begin a new college search and still meet deadlines: rather than commit to an inappropriate college choice, such students might use the postgraduate semester/year as a second chance at the college admission/recruiting process. 

The only common characteristic of all postgraduate students seems to be their common desire to improve themselves in preparation for a college education. Students who successfully complete a postgraduate semester/year invariably enter college directly after completion. Further, the traditional PG semester/year teaches lessons in personal organization and confidence building, combined with development of genuine intellectual curiosity, have lifelong value which transcends the college years.

College admission offices generally appreciate any program or course of study which enhances the probability that students will be well prepared to succeed upon matriculation at their institutions. Hundreds of colleges across the nation enroll students each year from postgraduate semester/year programs and have done so for a long time, for the concept of a post graduate, or “PG,” semester/year between high school and college is not new.

The environment of a residential, college preparatory program provides the key to the success of a PG year. Small classes, faculty who care and are available throughout the day and in most evenings, facilities which mirror those of a college campus, programs designed to develop the skills to meet the challenges of a college experience, virtually all aspects of a school created with only one goal-college preparation-contribute to the success of a postgraduate semester/year.

Because JP Bandits specializes in college preparation for young men through the postgraduate experience, JP Bandits

can tailor an environment to the needs of the student in transition from high school to college. At JP, the daily class schedule, academic year calendar, use of advanced technology, dormitory life, and athletic programs are designed to reflect what the student may expect in college. In addition, all students begin their semester / year at JP as new students, who are able to enjoy a fresh start, providing them with the opportunity to progress through the postgraduate semester/year as a common experience.

Yes, participation in sports during a PG semester/year does not affect the NCAA eligibility participation rule and may enhance a student-athlete’s chances to play collegiate level football. Since all students at the JP  Bandits are postgraduate, athletic competition frequently involves collegiate opponents in contest with college freshman or junior varsity teams. Student-athletes at JP Bandits gain the valuable experience of competing at the college level and having the opportunity to perform in front of college coaches while still preparing for the academic challenges of college.

Most students who consider a postgraduate semester/year are concurrently exploring college options. Some students apply for admission to colleges, wait for the results of the process, and then decide to apply for admission to a Post graduate program in the spring of their senior year. Others may incorporate the option of a postgraduate program within the college admission process and apply to a school offering the PG semester/year at the same time as filling college applications. This latter plan is preferable, for it allows the student to make decisions with a clearer view of all available options and to have more confidence in establishing his plans. 

Applying for admission to the JP Bandits is much like completing college admission applications. The JP Bandits

requires: a completed application form with fee, an official high school transcript, results of SAT and/or ACT, and a personal interview.

We classify ourselves as a true post graduate program due to our academics and the preservation of the students NCAA / NAIA eligibility. The characteristics of many college preparatory programs include challenging academics, a diverse student body, highly qualified staff, small classes, and individual attention. The JP Bandits program offers these characteristics. However, JP’s logistical challenges emulate a true college setting. Students are introduced to a variety of life skills necessary to be a successful student athlete. Our safe and structured environment allows the young men to experience life lessons valuable to the maturation and development of their manhood. We plant the seeds in hopes they take root and blossom with their future endeavors.

College Retention

The United States Department of Education reports that more than 50% of all male students who begin college never finish; most withdrawals occur during the freshman year. Of those who do complete a bachelor’s degree, only 34 percent do so in four years; the average amount of time in which students are earning bachelor degrees is 6 years.

At the JP Bandits, our goal is to help our students develop the academic skills, study skills, self-discipline, maturity and self-confidence necessary to succeed in college, rather than just to survive it.

Camaraderie

Because all our students are postgraduates entering in July / August, they share the postgraduate semester / year experience, and process from Orientation to Commencement together. Everyone is a newcomer upon arrival. Everyone must make new friends, learn to navigate the campus, and familiarize himself with the faculty and culture of the program. United by a clear, similar purpose, and a shared commitment to our program, is a necessity to achieve their goals. Our students develop a strong camaraderie among themselves, and life-long friendships are made. Positive peer pressure to achieve success in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, and citizenship is widespread, and students help each other in all aspects of the program.

Combination of Structure, Support, and Independence 

Because all our students are college age, usually 17 years of age or older, the JP Bandits emulates a college environment and experience, yet provides structure and support which colleges do not provide. As a result, our semester is a true transition period, not a repeat of a senior year in high school. Since we do not enroll high school students, our rules and policies are different from those at traditional boarding schools. Our students have more independence than they may have at a high school. This independence requires them to take responsibility for themselves, just as they will have to do in college. Unlike college, however, we hold our students accountable for their actions and decisions. Consequently, our students leave the JP Bandits with a maturity that they did not have upon arrival.