Large college is the obvious choice
Many people choose to advocate for the small colleges, saying they are closer knit communities, but the obvious choice here is the larger ones. You have so many more opportunities to prepare you for when you get out.
By attending college at a larger university, you have many more fellow students to interact with, and you can leave your education with many connections that could help you in the future. Now obviously in most cases you won’t be able to meet them all, and especially won’t be able to have a relationship with all of them while handling college courses. But the possibilities of who you will meet are abundant. This can be a big step up depending on the friend you make, because connections can mean the world in the workforce.
Also most larger schools will have a larger variety of majors and classes you can take. For instance, the University of Kentucky has 89 majors, so you can study just about anything you want if you attend UK. However, if you walk down the street, you will find Transylvania University, which offers 46 major programs, approximately half of UK’s. That is still quite a few majors, but they may not offer what you are looking for. Many smaller universities may specialize in a certain field, and not offer strong programs in other fields of study. This is not a big problem in a university with close to 100 majors.
Along with this myriad of classes, the bigger universities have the technology to support all of these areas of study, and typically have most of the state of the art technology available for research. This gives you the ability to conduct your own research and find your own answers to your questions.
Further, most larger universities are cheaper than smaller universities, because most smaller universities are private and they are more prestigious. But with this prestigious degree comes a prestigious price tag. This price tag is not really worth it anymore, especially when most employers are just looking for a degree not a résumé from Harvard.
Also, contrary to popular belief, larger college does not mean longer walk to classes. Most people think that larger universities have campuses that sprawl out across miles and can be up to a 20 minute walk. Realistically, a larger college does not mean a larger walk. Many large universities are compact, and will not be more than a 7 minute walk to any part of campus.
Something you will see on your walks in this large campus is the library. Larger universities mean larger libraries, which means more information and space to study. For instance, the university of Louisville has a massive library that has levels dedicated for certain kinds of study. The main floor is where most of the books are, and there is a massive book sorting machine, and then as you go up, each level is for more rigorous study. There are also tutors available if you ever need help. This is a huge advantage to students.
It seems blatantly obvious to me that a larger college would be a more beneficial 4 years of your life. For the people you can meet, and the amount of information and opportunities at your fingertips, why wouldn’t you?
Small colleges have more advantages
Big colleges for me don’t have much of an appeal. Unless you love to party and go out, there’s really no point of going to a big school. For me, small colleges have way more advantages for a student than a big one ever would.
The biggest advantage is probably that with less people comes a tighter community with both your peers and your professors. At a small college it’s much easier to get to know everyone because there’s not a million people there. You get the chance to connect with the entire community and really feel at home. This also holds true with your professors. Since class sizes are smaller, they really get to know everyone deeper and truly care about you, which is different than huge colleges. There you’re just a number with a paper they have to grade to get paid.
Another reason small colleges are better is the fact that most of your classes are more in depth. The professors can individualize the content since the classes are smaller. Say for example you’re a chemistry or biology major where you’re in a lab doing experiments. While the big colleges have more money and can invest in better equipment, the small colleges use the equipment they do have more efficiently. Smaller class sizes gives professors the opportunity to go in depth with each student and help them out in their own specific way. This couldn’t happen at a big college where they just lecture and don’t have time to help every single person.
So instead of telling people what to do during their science experiment and record the data, smaller colleges give the chance for the professors to go hands on with the students and help them out more. This simply leads to a better overall education since your professor invested in you more than one at a big college would.
Another great thing about small colleges is the fact that everyone has a mentor that used to go to that college. There’s someone assigned to you that will help you out during your 4 years of school. If you need help picking a major or writing a paper, your mentor can give you tips.
If you have questions about just about anything to do with your college journey, there’s someone in your corner with you so you don’t have to figure everything out for yourself. Everyone needs help, and at a big college it’s just not feasible for every single student to have someone like this.
Ultimately, small colleges simply invest more in their students. They put in more of an effort to make sure every student is fully prepared for their next phase of life. While small colleges aren’t for everyone, I strongly encourage people to check them out. I’d rather my home for the next 4 years be one of a tight community with people who invest in me rather than just being a number in the system.
Big college equals big dreams
Whether or not college is approaching quickly, your future is on the borderline of deciding if you want to attend a small college or a large university. Both small colleges and large universities have their pros and cons; however, there is no doubt in my mind that a large university is the way to go.
Large universities have many advantages that a smaller college may not be able to offer. When attending a large university you can be exposed to various different types of social activities that can give you the opportunity to meet many different types of people from various backgrounds.
With larger amounts of students and diversity the universities will offer more opportunities involving extracurricular activities and athletics. This gives students the opportunity to get involved with other peers that have similar interests that they may not be able to connect with at a smaller college. Not only are larger universities good for meeting various types of people, but they offer many more major options that can expand the possibilities of your future career.
If you are interested in continuing your athletic career after high school, you may want to look into the athletic departments offered at these large universities. Larger universities receive national acknowledgement with their sports programs which can bring many more possible opportunities for their student athletes.
When deciding between a larger university and a smaller college you should really consider the pros and cons of both options. When deciding your next step after high school you may also want to consider your own self and interest.
Not everyone is meant for a large university and not everyone is meant for a small college. It truly depends on how you interact with the world around you and where your interest takes you. However; when the pros and cons are lined up, the pros of a larger university are much more promising for all different types of students. If I were applying to colleges right now I would 100% choose to attend a large university and experience all the amazing benefits they have to offer.
Small college is the way to go
When it comes to college, many struggle with the decision on whether to go or not. If you want to go and get a degree but you don’t want to go to the big schools with all of the major sports and loads of people, then a smaller college would be ideal for you
There are many options of smaller colleges all around. When I head off to college I want to have a good time while also focusing on my degree. I feel that with the bigger schools you are always worrying about when the next game is and what are you going to wear — keeping up with the social status of the school basically.
Most smaller colleges are in smaller towns so there is most likely more places for you to study and just have a calm environment rather than the big cities’ constant noise. Some people can’t focus or get distracted from their work with all of the other distractions at a big campus.
Even the classroom sizes are so big it can be distracting. Smaller colleges let you have more personalized attention from your professors which will help you in the end. You are more accessible to resources like the library, study rooms, laboratories etc.
I personally want to go to the College of Charleston. I go and visit every summer and it just seems so easy to make friends and fit in. While being down there I notice tons of students out studying in the town and the little cafes or even on the beach with their headphones on. All in all I think that smaller colleges are the way to go.
