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More people are choosing to further their education at community colleges, that's the word from the Illinois Community Colleges Board.

A record number of students completed degree or certification programs at Illinois community colleges during Fiscal Year 2010.

The number of credit hours taken and the number of programs completed both hit new record highs last year.

As KHQA's Jarod Wells found out, John Wood Community College in Quincy set a few records of its own.

JWCC President Dr. Thomas Klincar said, "Last year was the largest enrollment in the history of John Wood Community College. We had more students, more than 2,700, enrolled in more courses, more credit hours, 62,000 credit hours, than ever before in the college's history."

Dr. Klincar says that shows the school is serving its district for the reasons it was created.

Klincar said, "For the students who choose to come here, they're getting a quality education at the lowest price available in our district."

The increase in enrollment may not be a reflection of a bad economy, but improved community colleges.

Klincar said, "We have more programs in credit transfer to traditional college and in career technical education than we've ever offered, so of course more students are coming here."

Kayla Epley was a student at John Wood for the record setting 2010.  She got her associates degree in Arts and english and is now at Quincy University.

Epley said, "I think some people think college is more on your own, but the teachers here are always very welcoming in their offices if you need extra help and they're willing to go above and beyond for you."

Kayla Epley says community colleges like John Wood have an advantage over four year universities.

Epley said, "Location being one of them. Being from Quincy I could still work while I went to school. I'm not in as much debt as my other student counter parts, so that is one definite benefit. And when I went to QU I was completely prepared for all of my classes."

The state of Illinois has 48 community colleges and has the third largest community college system enrollment in the nation.