Choosing where to attend college is one of the most stressful decisions in your teenage years. Probably THE most stressful. You are picking where you want to spend 4 years of your life, going to school and living on your own. But there are some perks to each type of school, some more influencing than others. Here are some perks to going to a small school, because small schools are the best schools.
1. CLASS SIZE
You don't have a lecture hall with 300 kids. You actually know the people sitting next to you. As a freshman, you general education classes that have lecture have no more than 40 students really. I have one lecture class, and I can name most of the people in there with me. It really is much more convenient when you are a student in the classroom, not just a number to the professor. It is a much more personal environment.
2. CAMPUS SIZE
You are a upcoming college student but you do not realize the struggle of walking to class till you have to roll out of bed at 730 am and make it to your 8 am on time. Living on a small campus has a big perk, and it is time. It does not take more than 5 minutes to walk to any of my classes. This is especially a good thing when the snow decides to start falling or the rain is pouring hard. It might not seem like an important thing, but being able to get to class in under 5 minutes is a major key when it comes to planning your schedule and in case you sleep through your alarm a couple times in the semester.
3. ONE-ON-ONE
This might not pertain to your freshman year as much, but when you get deep into your major you will love the fact that your classes have usually 15 or less student. This mean, you will receive a great amount of time one on one with your professor. It is much easier to ask them questions and become close to your professor when they have a small class to work with. This will make you a better student inside and outside of the classroom when you dive into your work expertise. They can give you better advice and more time spent with you individually if you need extra help. They will know you personally, again, rather than just one of their students in that certain major.
4. IMPORTANCE
At a small university, you know most of the people in your class and even more people in your major. You have more a sense that you count in your major rather than you are there just to receive your degree and leave. The professors in your field care about you as a student. You are a piece of their whole when it comes to their job. Each head of department wants to know their students individually and know their strengths and weaknesses. Your professors are here to make you excel, they care about your success. They aim to make you even more successful than themselves. You create your own destiny at a small school, nobody is forcing you down a path that is most travelled by. You feel important here, therefore you make a statement throughout your four years of college here.
5. ADAPTATION
Freshman year has been nothing but exciting. Most big universities, your freshman year is terrifying. You know no one. You don't know where anything is. There are overwhelming amounts of people around you who also don't know where to go. You are a very small fish in the world's largest sea. It can be overwhelming going somewhere so large, but you don't need to feel those terrifying instances if you chose somewhere small. You instant begin to know everyone around you the first week. Everything is pretty close and its not too hard to find a classroom on a small campus. The people are extremely friendly and know that you might be slightly nervous and are willing to guide you immediately. Adapting to a small school is the easiest of trades and made freshman year so much more smooth when changing my whole lifestyle.
6. STRESS?
Yes, college is very stressful! But, if you chose a small college, the support system is insane. There are so many groups here to help make you feel safe and sound. They are specifically put into place to help you in a time of stress and anxiousness. The professors and upperclassmen know what you're going through and are always down to talk if you need to vent your frustrations. The closeness of the university makes it so much easier to have people around you when you're stressed. Since the environment is so warm and friendly, that is one less thing you'll ever have to stress about! I know that if I am feeling too stressed, I have multiple people waiting to listen to my problems and help me fix them in a helpful manner.
7. STANDING OUT
Just because you didn't chose that big DI name school, doesn't mean this will affect your future. When in fact, most D3 schools happen to be liberal arts schools. Employers see this and that is big plus for you and your future career. You have a way more rounded education. You have been taught many trades over your four years, and they will highly appreciate that when looking at you over some over prospective employees. You were grown into a critical thinker, this is a characteristic that will make you stand out. You might think these extra courses in the arts will just drag your focus away from your major but instead it will make you think more outside of the box and this can aid in your intellectual capabilities when it comes to your field of choice. Having more knowledge about the things outside of your major will do nothing but help you excel in the future.
There are so many more advantages to attending a small college, but this is what I have learned so far. Choosing a small D3 school was the best decision I have ever made. There will never be a moment when I regret coming to this school. The community is unreal, the people i have met have become my life-long friends and the professors I have are the most caring, dedicated mentors I have ever had. Go small, you will never regret it.
