Pros and Cons Of Going To A Small College

 

When first looking for a college, I immediately thought of huge classrooms full of 300 students and walking around a 50 plus building campus. To my surprise, the only college I visited (and the college I am currently attending) has one and a half buildings and classrooms of 30 students are considered extremely large. Now that I am months from graduation, I am so glad I did not go to a huge college… and here is why.

1. Pro: Personal Attention from Professors and Advisors

First, at my college I am not just a number. My professors know me by name and know a lot about me. They care about every single one of their students and work hard to make sure we all succeed. Instead of emailing my professor with a question and praying for a response, I can just go to their desk during their office hours and talk with them for an hour or more about anything I need help with.

2. Pro: Strong Sense of Community

Second, I get to know all my fellow classmates. Not only do I know the people in my field of study, but I also know a lot of students in other fields of study. At graduation, I will know all the people I am graduating with so it will mean a lot more to me. At lot of the time, at big colleges, graduation is full of hundreds of students that you have never seen before.

3. Pro: Easy Access to All Classes

Lastly, I do not have to fight to get into any of my classes (I barely have to even think about planning out my schedule). Since my college has about 300 students, classes are only offered at certain times during the year so my academic advisor had my entire collegiate schedule lined up as soon as my first day started. I get some freedom when it comes to classes if I want to switch into a more interesting general education course, but the organization of classes and schedules (to me) is so much easier than fighting to get into popular classes.

Along with the good there is also some bad.

1. Con: Limited Campus Experience

Since we are so small we do not have dorm rooms so I live in an apartment off-campus. I will never get to fully experience the dorm life in college where I can walk down the hallway in pajamas and bare feet to meet up with a fellow classmate. Instead, I have to get somewhat dressed (with shoes) and drive to my classmates’ apartments or houses.

2. Con: Few Sports Programs and Student Activities

Also, there are very few student activities to be a part of on campus. Whenever events are held on campus, you are lucky to find over 20 people attend. Since we really do not have a “campus atmosphere,” people tend to just come to class and leave when it is over. Not many people hang around our campus unless they are busy working on homework or projects. There is also no school team to root for, and sports do not play a major part in the college experience.

3. Con: Limited Academic Choices and Resources

A small college will offer a small variety of majors and courses, and therefore fewer opportunities to change your field of study throughout your college years. Make sure you do plenty of research in your field of study before committing. There is also limited campus resources, such as a large library, or research and lab facilities.

When looking for a college you have to think about YOU. How will YOU be able to best learn and attain your degree? Yes, college is known for being your last hurrah before you enter the real world, but it is also your first step into the rest of your life. What it all boils down to is this one question: “Do I see myself here?” If the answer is not a definite, “yes,” then that is probably a sign that you need to look elsewhere. Do not be fooled by the big, pretty buildings if that is not what you want. In this case, size does matter and judging by size is not a bad thing.

Sources

http://blog.endicott.edu/?p=966

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/how-to-find-your-college-fit/sizing-up-colleges-big-vs-small

https://anniebsweets.wordpress.com/2013/09/06/the-beginning-of-school-and-many-other-things/

http://galleryhip.com/dorm-room-wall-decorations.html

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/article2515020.html