Your entire senior year of high school you spend thinking about two things, the first being your internal countdown to graduation the second being which college is the right fit for you. At first, you make decisions based off just places you might like to live in my case I searched for universities close to the beach. Yes, I also know that after the torture that high school can be, sometimes it can seem like fleeing the state and diving into a huge university where you know absolutely no one seems like the only answer. However, this is a grown up decision that requires grown up thinking.

To do so one has to factor scholarship funds, out of state tuition, regular tuition, financial aid, meal plans, etc. the list can go on. When picking a college where you may spend the next few years as a student you should include those factors in your decision-making process. Choices have to be made when applying for your dream home if the college of your dreams is worth thousands in debt when there is another school just as equal except you might be presented with a full ride there.

Are you willing to pay the extra costs that typically are associated with large state schools or Ivy Leagues? I spent my whole senior year going over these questions and factors considering my options of going to a larger school which I had fewer scholarship funds at or enrolling in a smaller university. Spoiler alert: I enrolled at a university which is considered fairly smaller than the average university campus and student body. However, even though it was not my first choice originally and at the moment I am currently only a college freshmen I am learning that just like everything else in life there is a reason behind it. Even though I am surprised, I am quickly learning how the small town and "small" college was the best choice for me.

Now typically unless you attend a private university most colleges will be larger than your high school and that is completely okay. Because, this is your chance to meet new people, and join new things like Freshmen Forum or commit to Greek life basically there are now countless new things for you to try that were not available in high school or on the scale that any college offers even a small one. For me, even my small college feels like a whole new world compared to high school in the sense where walking to class once took me only two to three minutes now I have to walk almost half a mile to my next one. If you wish to do so there are now thousands of people to meet just in your grade alone versus maybe the few hundred of your high School.

One of the main perks to a small college is the class size, while there may be 30-50 kids in your lecture that is drastically smaller compared to lecture halls of 500 at state universities. This is a great advantage because at any point should you fall behind in class or need a little extra help you have more access and time given to contact a professor.

Professors teaching several thousand students have less time to tutor or aid in a subject where as at a smaller university-my university- it is a guarantee that a professor or even a department head can help you address a problem and fix it in a timely manner. This also presents you as a student with the opportunity to be even remembered by your professor and contribute to discussions. Smaller classes also mean fewer people to get to know to help you with assignments!

Groupme is still a thing in college when you forget the next class assignment due right? There is a whole sea out there on any college campus full of fishes for you to befriend. Yet, on a smaller campus, it is easier to single out a face from the last class or remember other classmates names. To me, a smaller class also means fewer people I had to embarrass myself in front of the first day of class when the professor asked us all to share a few details about ourselves and the only thing that came to my mind was saying that I had a dog and what his name was.

Smaller colleges also allow for more opportunities; while things will always be competitive it is a much better chance for you to run against say 15 opponents for a position than 300. There are countless things to participate in college such as Greek life, sports, fine arts, intercollegiate games, SGA, etc. Attending a smaller school means not only more opportunities but a much better chance to join and succeed in these desired organizations.

Another perk of a small college also means better traffic and let me explain something... as a fellow commuter that can make all the difference. It takes only a few minutes to drive through campus compared to some of my friends larger state schools that constantly have stand still traffic on and outside of campus. When traveling through a smaller college town there is also more character and variety in the squares shops and restaurants. Even though Chik-fil-a should be included on every college campus it is nice to have other options of local restaurants to choose from when cafeteria food starts to get old...real quick.

While these are just little things about a little place, they have made a world of difference in what I expected my college life to be like and they are all for the better! I may not have gone off to some huge school, but I attend one that seems big to me and offers me countless opportunities and anything I would ever need as a student.

So if you are thinking of choosing a big college university over a small one do not just pass over the smaller, in some cases they might just turn out to be everything you needed to get through these next stressful years even if it just means less traffic, or a variety of places to eat other than fast food. Smaller universities can be more personally beneficial not only financially but in your actual education-- just remember that.