Well before I started touring colleges the summer of my senior year of high school, I knew I wanted to go to a smaller school. I chose to only look at private schools because, even though they tend to be a little more expensive, they have quite a few benefits over larger public colleges and universities. in a different Now I attend a college with two thousand students (give or take a hundred every year), and I find more perks to attending such a small college than I first imagined.
For one, the campuses are much smaller. There are less buildings to know, which means a whole lot less confusion when trying to visit someone who lives in a different residential hall. Also, the distance between academic buildings and living quarters is shorter. This leads to students (at least those living on campus) walking or biking to class instead of driving.
Another great part about smaller schools is that...well, it's a small school. Obvious, but worth noting. With so few people attending the college, students get to know each other really well, especially within their majors. I could look around the dining hall and pick out faces I know from classes, clubs, singing groups, or any number of activities. And because you see the same people so often, you get much closer to them than if you'd just seen them twice a week in a classroom filled with fifty other people.
The class sizes are also a fantastic perk of a small college. The largest class I have had so far was just under forty people. However, the majority of classes are only about twenty people. This leads to amazing discussions and a really close-knit, comfortable atmosphere. It's nice and small so everyone gets to share their opinions (and without the nerve-wracking pressure that comes from fifty pair of eyes focused on you).
Plus, the small classes lead to closer relationships with the professors. When you aren't just another face in the crowd, you become an individual with a name and something to say. When visiting a professor during office hours, I don't feel awkward at all. In fact, most of the time I end up staying longer than expected simply talking to my professor about random interests that we share. These relationships not only come in handy when trying to find jobs in your field, but they are also just really nice to have. The professors end up caring about your life and your ambitions rather than just your grades.
Of course, there are many other benefits to choosing a small college. These are just the ones that have the biggest impact in my experiences at college.
