Which school graduates more of its students, Alpena Community or Highland CC (IL)?

Alpena Community, at 50% against 46% at Highland CC (IL) (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.

How do I contact the coaches at Alpena Community and Highland CC (IL)?

Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.

Alpena Community vs Highland CC (IL): Softball Program Comparison

Two JUCO programs. Highland CC (IL) lists $680 less in out-of-state tuition; Alpena Community graduates 4 points more of its students.

JUCO

Alpena Community

MCCAA

Alpena, MI

JUCO

Highland CC (IL)

Region 4

Freeport, IL

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean Alpena Community if…

Finishing the degree is the priority: Alpena Community graduates 4 percentage points more of its students than Highland CC (IL).

Lean Highland CC (IL) if…

You would be in-state: Highland CC (IL) is $824 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Alpena Community.
You are weighing the degree as an investment: Highland CC (IL) graduates earn about $1,486 more per year a decade after enrolling.
You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Highland CC (IL) is $995 lower than at Alpena Community.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: Alpena Community compared with Highland CC (IL)
Measure	Alpena Community	Highland CC (IL)
In-state tuition & fees	$7,800	$6,976 — Highland CC (IL) leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees	$7,800	$7,120 — Highland CC (IL) leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition
Room & board	$7,019	—
Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.	$14,819	—
Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.	$14,819	—

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: Alpena Community compared with Highland CC (IL)
Measure	Alpena Community	Highland CC (IL)
Graduation rate	50% — Alpena Community leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree	46%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry	$36,442/yr	$37,928/yr — Highland CC (IL) leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out
Median debt at graduation	$9,024	$8,029 — Highland CC (IL) leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.	25%	21% — Highland CC (IL) leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Alpena Community compared with Highland CC (IL)
Measure	Alpena Community	Highland CC (IL)
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.	1,530	1,369
Where it is	Alpena, MI	Freeport, IL

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: Alpena Community compared with Highland CC (IL)
Measure	Alpena Community	Highland CC (IL)
Conference	MCCAA	Region 4
Head coach	Mike Tulgestke	Samantha Moran

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: Alpena Community compared with Highland CC (IL)
Measure	Alpena Community	Highland CC (IL)
Recruiting questionnaire	Yes	Yes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

How JUCO softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

Alpena Community

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Highland CC (IL)

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Alpena Community vs Highland CC (IL): common questions

Which school graduates more of its students, Alpena Community or Highland CC (IL)?: Alpena Community, at 50% against 46% at Highland CC (IL) (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Alpena Community and Highland CC (IL) offer softball scholarships?: Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
How do I contact the coaches at Alpena Community and Highland CC (IL)?: Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for Alpena Community and Highland CC (IL) accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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