The decision of where to attend college is possibly the hardest decision a teen will make, but for junior Sophia Mapes, the choice was simple.

“The Class of 2017 will make Detroit Mercy a lot better,” Mapes said of the school’s soccer team for which she recently signed to play.

It was a humid Saturday on Oct. 24 when Mapes decided to accept the full-ride scholarship she was offered from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Sixteen-year-old Mapes has been playing soccer since she was in kindergarten. “I like it…it’s something different and it’s just something I enjoy,” she said. Mapes plays defensive midfielder, the same position that soccer player, Yaya Touré plays.

“I liked how it was a small school and the classes weren’t gigantic,” Mapes said as to why she decided the Division I school was the right choice for her. The class sizes are indeed not “gigantic;” University of Detroit Mercy maintains a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Mapes plans to study pre-med during her time at University of Detroit Mercy. After her four years there, she plans to attend a physical therapy school in hopes of someday becoming a physical therapist.

The decision of where to attend college is possibly the hardest decision a teen will make, but Mapes said this of those in her position, “Visit the school and see if you like the environment and see if you like the class size and everything because it’s a big decision.”

Mapes will start in the fall of 2017 and will graduate with University of Detroit Mercy’s Class of 2021.