An important factor in choosing a college is the size and number of students. Colleges with 5,000 or less students are usually considered small compared to other schools, and they are often underrated. Many students want to attend a school that has a highly-acclaimed research program, or that is well-known throughout the country. But as a student of a school with only 1,200 undergraduates, I believe that attending a small school was the best choice I ever made. Although there are some cons to not going to a larger university such as not many campus-wide events and not many chances of meeting new people, there are also many pros that outweigh the cons.

Here are 10 of the perks of going to a small college:

1. Small class sizes

At a smaller school, you don't have big lecture halls with hundreds of students. Your biggest class is no more than 20 or 30 students, and you get personalized attention from the professors.

2. You are a name, not a number

Unlike a large school where you're just another student, at a small college people know your name. You don't feel invisible and you actually feel like you matter.

3. You don't have to walk far to get to class

When you get up for your early morning classes, the last thing you want to do is walk miles to get to class. At a small school your longest walk is not even ten minutes, so you can just roll out of bed and make it to class in only a few minutes.

4. You won't ever walk across campus without seeing a friend

It's an amazing feeling to know that you'll always see your friends on campus. It's nearly impossible to feel lonely when you always have someone near you to walk with.

5. You get to know your professors

In a small school, you can't hide from your professors. Some people see this as a negative, but I think it's great because it means that you have connections with your professors from the moment you walk into their classroom. You have plenty of options for recommendation letters, and even many opportunities for independent research with a professor.

6. It's easy to become friends with your classmates

You probably know almost everyone in your class by the end of the semester, and this makes it easy to make friends. Your classes are like families- everyone looks out for one another and works together.

7. If you want peace and quiet, it isn't too hard to find

At bigger schools, you probably never get a break from being around other people. At a smaller school you can always find a place to be by yourself and get work done or just to relax.

8. You have someone to sit with in every class

After first semester of freshman year, you'll probably make enough friends to know at least one person in all of your classes. This provides relief for those who worry about where they'll sit in class, and having a friend in a class makes it that much more bearable.

9. Teaching done by only professors

You don't have to deal with TAs because of the small class sizes. One professor is enough to teach the whole class, and because of this it's less confusing and often easier to learn.

10. The campus feels like home

This is perhaps my favorite part of going to a small school. The campus doesn't feel overwhelming or scary, and you never get lost. After only a few months, the campus feels like a second home. You know your way around, you know the people in your classes, and you if you need help there is always someone to turn to. The campus gives you a feeling of comfort that you will not get at a bigger school.