There are many factors that go into deciding which college to attend. Whether it is close to your hometown or far away, whether it has your chosen major or not, and if it is in your price range (though technically I'm pretty sure the cost of college isn't necessarily in anyone's price range). A major factor in people's decision-making process is the size of the school - if they want to go to a large or small school.
In my own college search I looked at both options: a four-year school with only 1,000 undergrads as well as one with over 20,000 undergrads. I felt a lot more comfortable with the latter option and liked the atmosphere of the University at Buffalo over the other schools I had looked at, but I know that's not the case for everyone. I also attended a smaller community college before transferring to UB, so I know there's a lot of differences between small and large schools. Here are some of the pros and cons of attending a big university:
Pro: Lots of food options on campus.
Con: Those many choices tempt you to spend money and/ or eat unhealthy foods.
Pro: Big universities often have Division I athletics, making sporting events fun and enjoyable to watch.
Con: If you were interested in playing sports in college, it may be a lot more difficult to make the team at a large school.
Pro: Classes in big lecture halls means there's less accountability and you can often lay low in class.
Con: It also gives you the freedom to be distracted in class and not pay attention to what the professor is saying.
Pro: There are tons of options of clubs to join and ways to get involved.
Con: It can often feel overwhelming with the hundreds of club fairs and flyers on the walls.
Pro: Lots students means tons of different types of people you can meet.
Con: It can be hard to make friends at such a large school because it doesn't always feel like a close knit community.
Pro: Large classes means you don't necessarily have feel a responsibility to answer the professor all the time.
Con: With such large classes it can be hard to get individual attention from professors, and they most likely won't know your name in most intro courses.
Pro: Larger campuses often provide more resources than you may find at a smaller school.
Con: There's usually tons of walking (in bad weather) to get across the big campus to your classes and back to your car, in whatever faraway lot it sits.
Attending a large university isn't for everyone, but I have enjoyed my experience so far. In general, I don't feel overwhelmed by the classes or the size of the school, and they do a good job of making you feel like a part of the community. I love the atmosphere and the opportunities UB provides and look forward to another year there soon!
