Graduating high school and deciding what to do next is a huge step toward your future. If you are immersed in four-year college brochures and ready to take campus visits, don’t overlook the benefits of attending a community college. They are an evolving offering in the higher learning market and are worth considering. Here’s why:

1. Community college saves you money. Did you know that the average cost per year for community college is only about $2,400 compared to about $12,000 at a traditional university? Add that to the fact that it generally takes only two years to complete your chosen course of study and the savings story takes on an even bigger role in the decision making. Wouldn’t it be nice to start your career without the burden of several years of student loan payments to make? What’s more, graduates in areas such as technology and nursing have been known to have as high as a 100% employment rate right out of (community) college.

2. Community Colleges offer a better classroom environment. Class sizes are small (normally fewer than 30 students) so you won’t feel lost in a lecture hall. The practical knowledge that you gain is put into practice rather than mere guesswork on multiple-choice type testing procedures. Also, since tuition costs are far lower than a traditional college, you can afford to explore more areas of interest without having to commit to just one from the onset. There are weekend and evening classes, as well as during the week days, to allow students to work.

3. The teaching staff is there for one reason only - to teach. They aren’t distracted by research or their eagerness to have their work published as are some college professors. Instead of learning from assistant teachers as is the case in many traditional universities, underclassmen in community colleges benefit directly from faculty members who have direct work experience in the areas that they teach. In fact, they often help graduating students to land work in their field by providing networking opportunities.

4. Community colleges get their name in part from the feeling of community. There is no massive campus to negotiate or throngs of students to feel lost among for the entering community college student. The campus is often in the center of the city and most students simply commute from home and save themselves the cost of room and board. Collegiate activities abound, however. There are usually sports teams, social functions and student government for students who enjoy extra curricular activities.

Saving money, getting a hands-on education and quality of teachers should give you plenty to think about when considering the option of choosing a community college. Just in case you’d like to put a successful face or two in your mind, how about the fact that actor Billy Crystal and former US Treasurer Francine Neff are among many on the list of community college students?