Military Junior Colleges in California - What are my options?

I'm currently a Junior in California, considering the possibility of going into a military junior college. Can anyone give me an idea about which ones in California are worth looking into?

While California has several two-year colleges and ROTC programs at four-year universities, the state does not have any dedicated Military Junior Colleges (MJCs). MJCs are unique as they offer early commissioning programs, that allow students to become commissioned officers in two years instead of the typical four-year path through traditional ROTC programs or the U.S. service academies.

There are only five Military Junior Colleges in the United States: Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania, Marion Military Institute in Alabama, New Mexico Military Institute in New Mexico, Georgia Military College in Georgia, and Wentworth Military Academy in Missouri. These colleges all offer the Early Commissioning Program (ECP) which means that students can become commissioned officers after just two years.

However, several California universities offer three and four-year ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) programs, such as the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, University of San Francisco, and the University of Southern California.

Additionally, some students consider California's military academies, like the California Maritime Academy, which offers programs focused on maritime studies.

Finally, the federal service academies such as the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy are additional options that, while extremely competitive, provide comprehensive military education and training.

Remember, talk to your school counselor and reach out to ROTC program coordinators to gather more information as you consider this important decision.