It's no secret that the college experience is different for those who attend large schools and those who attend small ones. Being someone who has attended both the largest university in my state and a university with only about 4,000 students, I wanted to explore the great and not-so-great academic and social aspects of both school sizes from all angles.

Academics: Small > Big

With a small school comes small classes, which make learning feel much more intimate. Group discussions, projects, and other types of active participation are common. This means that it's fairly easy to put yourself out there and become friends with your classmates. In addition, professors are easily accessible since there's no teaching assistant as a middle man. Also, there's a better chance of truly getting to know your professor and making a lasting impression on him or her. At a small school, it's actually difficult to feel like you're "just a number."

The class sizes at a larger school are, of course, larger. Some major-specific or less popular classes are smaller, but General Chemistry and Math are bound to be packed with students. Big class sizes mean class is held in lecture halls, which can feel huge and overwhelming. The professor usually has to wear a microphone headset, so in my opinion, class feels more like a fancy, formal presentation. It also takes a lot of confidence to ask a question during the lecture, and if you can't spit it out then, you'll need to come to a professor's office hours or talk to the graduate teaching assistant. It's common to be required to take a corresponding discussion class in order to bridge the gap between teacher and student, but the leader of the discussion is usually the teaching assistant.

Academics: Big > Small

Large classes can be a little crazy, but there are so many perks of them as well. Given the high amount of kids and the endless rows of seats, it's easy to keep to yourself and be unnoticeably absent from class if you choose. It's unlikely that there will ever be organized small-group discussion during a lecture. Basically, it's easy to just roll out of bed, sit in a chair, and listen instead of needing to prepare for social interaction at the ungodly hours of the morning. Also, besides trying to get the notes from a classmate, missing class is a breeze. Attendance is seldom taken in large classes, so you're totally off the hook. To top it all off, professors at large research universities usually have a long list of accomplishments and publications that make them topnotch educators.

One downside of classes at a small university is that they sometimes feel a lot like high school classes. Instead of lecture halls, your classes are probably in regular classrooms. Professors tend to take attendance and a class participation score is often factored into your grade. There really isn't any plausible way to hide from your classmates or professor- if you miss more than one class period, your professor may even reach out to you.

Social Life: Small > Big

A small university is a great place to meet people you want to cultivate long-lasting relationships with. You're bound to run into the same people over and over again and get to know many people very well. Student organizations are tightly-knit and even whole classes of students can easily become friends.

At a bigger university, you might meet someone one night and then never see them again. There are so many people and so many opportunities that it can be a little overwhelming. Plus, a long walk, bike, or bus ride is often mandatory in order to get to these social events. All that traveling without the luxury of a car can get a bit irritating.

Social Life: Big > Small

At a large university, the opportunities to meet people, join student organizations, and go out are seemingly endless. There's always exciting something going on. The party scene is usually prominent and sororities and fraternities are plentiful.

I've found that being social at a small university takes a little bit more effort. Instead of receiving a random mass-Snapchat with a party's address, you usually have at least have a mutual friend of someone at the party. Additionally, I've noticed that many students (at my smaller school, at least) go home on the weekends.

I've come to learn that when choosing which school size is best for you, it's in your best interest to fully analyze your personality. What do you value? Chilling with a small group of friends or going out with big groups? Just listening to a lecture or being an active participant in class? Either way, big or small, college is what you make of it. You'll get back what you put into both your academic and social lives.