Last week, I had the pleasure of going to my little cousin’s graduation. So, before we went, I heard the school was small but I don’t believe I understood the meaning of the word until I saw this class size. The graduating class consisted of a whopping total of 8 students and I kept waiting to see if any more students would come down the aisle during the processional. Besides the occasional tardy cousin, no other graduating seniors showed up. That was it. In all their glory, the graduating class of 2017.

So, the graduation was quite nice. These students seemed to all share an amazing bond. They were in all the same classes together, they ate lunch together, went to each other’s houses, you name it. It was like a small family. They had the cutest family…graduation photos ever. I thought wow this is so cute. But then I stopped to think of something that was wrong with the picture. These kids have been in this tiny school of 100 people total from K-12 and now are about to go to big colleges and universities. Are they ready?

The education was so intimate at their high school. They all had insiders with the faculty and staff and the teachers knew everyone’s name in their class. They were all so close it seemed unreal. What I wondered was, how will they adjust to the new life they have in college? No doubt it will be a different world. Their high school did not have any sports’ teams, with basketball as the only exception, no prom, and no clubs. They did not have the normal high school experience. So, was their altered high school experience an advantage or disadvantage?

I considered some of the advantages and disadvantages they may have in college. Some of the advantages include their ability to form good relationships with teachers, their intimate education may contribute to academic preparation for the college classroom, and the ability to make friends. The disadvantages I considered maybe they are intimidated by their class size which can be up to 500 in college classes, their ability to interact with many personalities, and one I forgot to mention is that this was a Christian school, so they may find it difficult to understand many religious differences. These kids were really sheltered clearly and they had a naïve view of the world. Now I don’t want to say that all of these students will struggle, they may get to college and fit right in and be able to thrive. The ones I worry about are the students who are socially awkward now, but it’s okay because there are only 7 other people to talk with. However, a college with 30,000 students it may be a bit difficult to find your way. I mean will these kids be able to present in front of their classes with 100 students when they are used to presenting in front of only a few people, whom all are their friends?

College is a tough place socially, and while these students may be academically prepared, are they prepared for the relationships they will have to form in college? Networking for internships, jobs, and scholarships? And even just making relationships with people period.

Overall, I believe there are many factors to consider before sending your child to a school with such an intimate education. I believe it has its pros but it also has its cons, like anything else in life. I want my future children to be prepared for college academically but also get the experiences that any high school would offer. Clubs, sports’ teams, and prom. Those are things we all look forward to and I would not want my children to never have that experience. If kids attend a small high school similar to the one mentioned, are they being robbed of their high school experience or simply redefining the high school experience?