Picking what college to go to is one of the toughest decisions in life. Some people focus on a school’s academics or athletics, while others care more about location or night life. However, the size of the college might be the most important factor to keep in mind.
Salisbury is relatively small, with a student population of only about 9,000. To everyone that loves ‘Bury life this is perfect; just small enough that you always see your friends, but just big enough that you always meet new people.' To others, the small size takes away from some of the best parts of college.
Here are some pros and cons to help you decide if the small college life is for you.
Pro: Big Fish in a Small Pond
The phrase is cliché and overused, but perfect for describing small college life. If you get involved with certain academic programs or clubs (like the school newspaper) at a big school, the cutthroat competitiveness could leave you without the experience you need to enter the career you want.
Small schools not only allow you to get involved in what you want, they also give you a better shot at gaining leadership experience. Less people means more of an opportunity to standout from the crowd.
Con: Not as Impressive on Resume
This is the catch to being a big fish in a small pond. You might be the most impressive student at Salisbury, but if you’re competing against someone with similar experience at University of Maryland, your odds of getting the job plummet. Going to a big well-known school isn’t everything, but it definitely makes for a good first impression.
Pro: You’ll Always See a Friendly Face
After the first few days at Salisbury, I was already seeing the few people I knew everywhere. You almost never have to worry about eating meals by yourself because you’re bound to see someone you know on your way to Commons.
This might take a little longer to develop at a big school. You can walk anywhere on campus and still not see anyone you know cause there’s tens of thousands of students. Seeing a friendly face is always nice, but it’s up to personal preference just how important this is in college decision making.
Con: Less Sports Excitement
Don’t get me wrong, we still have passionate fans that make it out to every game, but when your football stadium can only hold about a quarter of your student body, you’re already at a pretty big disadvantage. With significantly smaller crowds, less flashy stadiums, and no national recognition, the small school sports experience is like watching high school sports when compared to Division 1.
People who love to watch sports will be happy regardless, but for the average college student this is the biggest downside to small school life.
Pro: More Personal Learning Experience
This is the by far the biggest benefit of a small school. Big schools have lectures with hundreds of students, and little opportunity to ask questions. The professor doesn’t have a lot of office hour time, and might have his assistant teach classes because he’s busy doing scholarly work. You’re just a blip on the teacher’s radar.
You rarely have these worries at a small school. Even the largest lectures are still relatively small and asking questions is common. Most professors know everyone’s name, and you can always meet with them for help if you need it. They still do scholarly work, but you can tell that teaching is their first priority.
Con: Less Class Options
Not only are there less majors, minors, and classes in general, but there are also less time slots to take specific classes that you want. In order to take that Astronomy class you’ve always been interested in, you might have to sacrifice your Friday night. You might decide halfway through your sophomore year that marine biology is your new passion in life, only to discover that the school you go to doesn’t offer it.
This won’t be a big deal as long as you like the classes offered at your school and understand that inconvenient times are a possibility.
