Don't forget that the stat bonus abilities let you use level ups to save the really good junctions/abilities for better stats. At level one, you'll be hard pressed to get 255 on any stat or 9999 on HP without using a Stat +% ability or junctioning Ultima to that stat. And, as I've said in the tips and tricks thread, I think that that is a waste of a really good junction.

Personally, I always have 3 level 50+ characters (Squall, Quistis, and Rinoa) by the end of Disc 2, so I don't wind up with the problem of not having a place to level up much.