Depending on the college, you can be in an LLC for almost anything: honors, engineering, biology, humanities, etc. The LLC I am a part of is the Communication Scholars LLC: a small group of selected communication majors within my year. There are 17 of us, including myself, and I spent my freshman year of college surrounded by these people, both in our communication seminars and in our dorm building. Here is a year's worth of LLC experience on the pros and cons of the LLC experience itself.
Pro: The people in your LLC are your first friends on campus.
Entering college for the first time is terrifying, especially when you don't know a single soul on campus. Acceptance into your LLC the summer prior to college, however, begins opening doors for you before you even set foot on campus. You may be able to connect with your fellow LLC students on Facebook, you will probably be paired with at least one of them as your roommate.
When you move onto campus, the people in your LLC become the first friends you make. Being a part of the same cohort grants an instant connection, and something to bond over. In the chaos of moving in and beginning your freshman year, you and your cohort will cling to each other for dear life. They are your first friends before you branch out and make friends with others outside the LLC, and they may be people you would never have talked to or become friends with otherwise. Regardless of how much you have in common with your LLC outside of academics, they become your core group of friends.
Con: You can't get away from 'em.
Although the people in your LLC will be your first friends on campus, and you're happy to have them, for the next four years, you can't really get away from them. As long as you are in the LLC, you will have classes with these people. They are always there- similarly to when you are at home with your family members, there's always at least one of them around at all times. Your LLC will drive you crazy, but you love them anyway. You don't really have a choice.
Pro: Your LLC will always have your back.
Regardless of what happens outside of the LLC, they will always be there for you to fall back on. This means having 16 people (or many more, depending on your college) you can lean on when times get tough. They're right next door when you need a shoulder to cry on, or someone to study with the night before a big test.
No matter how involved you may get on campus outside of your LLC, you know that you always have them to come home to. It's like having a family away from home. They'll be there for you when you need them, and trust me- you will need them.
Con: You won't be the best of friends with everyone (although you will be the best of friends with some).
Whenever strangers are grouped together, there's bound to be a clash or two. In an LLC, there's going to be conflict, and there are going to be groups and pairs that go off and do their own thing separate from everyone else- and that's okay. An LLC doesn't mean you all have to be one big happy family, and it doesn't mean you have to be best friends with everyone. The major con here is even if you don't get along with someone in your LLC, you have to suck it up and deal with them anyway. Although not everyone will be the best of friends, the group still identifies under the LLC, forever unifying you all, whether you like it or not.
Pro: You're surrounded by people with similar interests and goals as you.
Outside of an LLC, it can be hard to find other students with the same career-driven passions as you. It's important to connect with people on the same path as you, especially in college. Being in an LLC does it for you.
By being surrounded by people with the same interests and goals as me, I am given the advantage of connecting with them socially and professionally. Your fellow students with the same track you have chosen serve as a resource for you to talk with about college courses and different career options out there. It's encouraging to talk with someone in the same boat as you pertaining to your interests and plans for the future. An LLC provides you with the common ground you need to get started.
The best part about being in an LLC is at the end of the day, you're all Com Scholars, or whatever your LLC may be. The unifying sense of togetherness and the group support network you have at your disposal is of immeasurable value throughout the college years. And no matter how much they may get under your skin, you love them anyway. And you know you wouldn't trade it for the world.
