In Illinois, where I grew up, there are so many different colleges to choose from. Growing up I only thought there were big universities until I got older and realized that there were tons of other schools I had never heard of. When a high school student is making their decisions about where to go to college they weigh in many factors. Here's ten reasons why you should choose to go to a junior college before attending a university.

1. It's cheaper.

The first reason as to why you should attend a junior college is the most obvious reason, and that's because it is so much cheaper. Most of the kids I graduated with went to the nearby junior college and lived at home. This saves you so much money in the long run, so much money that some of them will be debt free.

2. More schools means more friends.

Have you ever thought about it that way? You leave high school with some friends, then go to a juco and meet new people, transfer to a university and make even more friends! I can honestly say that I have friends all over the world because I have met so many different people.

3. Live in new places.

Unlike many people I graduated with I moved out when I went to my junior college. By doing this I have lived in three very different places. My junior college allowed me to get almost a city feel for things, while my university takes me back to that smaller town feel.

4. Who cares if you're undecided?

Junior college is a good time to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. In order to get your associate's degree you have to take a variety of classes anyways so you can get a better feel for what you actually want to study for the rest of your college career. If you are unsure in high school what you want to do, I recommend going to a junior college and taking a variety of classes to see what you like.

5. College Athletics

All I knew in high school was that I wanted to play college softball but I wasn't sure where or if I'd want to play all four years. Junior colleges give you a feel for college athletics and allows you to decide whether you want to continue to play on or to be done after two years. This works well if you're wanting to do certain programs like nursing or dental hygiene because you can only play for two years anyways. This also gives small school kids a chance to get seen by bigger Division I schools if that is where you're aspiring to play. Essentially, junior college sports give you more options for your last two years.

6. Close to Home

For those kids out there who love their home and don't dream of getting away, junior college is perfect. I know plenty of people who wanted to stay at home because they had connections there. They love their hometown and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Junior college makes that possible

7. Hometown feel

No matter if you stay at home or move hours away for your junior college, you're going to get a hometown feel. Your college will have small class sizes, just like your high school did. Teacher to student ratio will be around the same as your high school. This makes your high school to college transition that much easier because you can get to know your professors like you did your high school teachers. Also, chances are you're going to know someone in almost all of your classes. This makes things so much easier when it comes to settling in.

All in all, my choice to attend a junior college was the best one I could have made. Just like every decision it has it's pros and cons but I would never change the decision I made to attend a junior college.