I am a Trojan Warrior, and my school is already shaping me into so much more than I thought I could ever be. I think back to the time when I was trying to make my college decision, and I remember wanting to go to a big university like Auburn or LSU. It just wasn't in my price range at the time, and now I see why it wasn't in God's plan for me. Going to school at a smaller university like Troy has the ability to give you a more wholesome college experience. The reasons that support my opinion go way beyond Troy University. It turns out that many students at universities with less than 20,000 students enrolled seem to agree.
A small average class size affects your GPA and quality of education.
Being a freshman means you take a lot of general education classes, aka the dreadful ones that everyone at school has to take. I was a freshman last year at Troy, and the biggest lecture class I had was Biology 1100. My class size was still much less than a hundred students. One of the greatest things about attending a small university is that you don't feel like a nobody in class. I promise you that the professor will not only know your name, but also what organizations you're affiliated with, your hometown, and maybe even your phone number! Being able to ask the professor questions during lecture will help when it comes to confusion. It is much easier to get that 4.0 when you fully understand the teacher and the material.
"South is great because the class sizes aren't too large. My level of understanding in a chemistry class of 200 at Auburn or Alabama would be much lower than my level of understanding in my chemistry class of 40 or 50 at South Alabama. Plus, the professors know my name." said Zac McConnell, Sophomore at The University of South Alabama, Emergency Medical Services.
Fellow students feel like family, and the campus feels like home.
Some days when I walk through the main quad, I know every single person's name that passes by on the sidewalk. That is one thing for sure that you can not get at a university with almost 40,000 students. My first semester of freshman year I only went home to Gulf Shores twice. I was extremely busy, but even when I wasn't busy, I didn't want to go home. Troy was my new home. My real family wasn't around but my sorority family, Freshman Forum family, and Wesley family were all there with me. Leaving them for the summer was almost worse than leaving my real family for the school year!
Laura Kate Laurendine, Sophomore at The University of Southern Mississippi, Nursing, sister of Delta Gamma said, "Growing up I always thought that I would go to a big school like Bama. When it came time to make a college decision, I started going on college tours. I visited Alabama, Auburn, and Southern Miss. I absolutely fell in love with Southern. The small size was one of the reasons I chose USM. I love being able to walk down the sidewalk and be able to talk to people and know them by name. I have friends at bigger universities that only know a handful of people. I could not see myself at any other place than USM."
There are endless opportunities to build up your resumé.
Sure, every school does have dozens of clubs, organizations, and sports you can get involved in. One thing that smaller universities have on larger ones is that there is a greater chance of landing a leadership position in a club or organization. It is so much easier to make a difference in a smaller crowd. Having held leadership positions in a variety of organizations looks great on a resumé. Last year I was a member of Troy University's Freshman Forum and the publicity committee head. This year I am a Senator in the Student Government Association and hold the appointed office of Points Chair in Kappa Delta Sorority. I still have three more years in front of me to keeping filling my plate and building my resumé.
"A smaller school also allows for more involvement in a plethora of groups, as well as more opportunities for leadership and change on campus. At a smaller school, students have much more of a say and contribution to campus due to the better relationships with faculty and professors." Michael Cowan (left), Graduate of Birmingham Southern College, Biology, brother of Sigma Chi.
The town and campus have a sense of community that's hard to beat.
Troy University is considered a small school and Troy, AL, is considered a small town. The whole city of Troy revolves around the university. I love that about my school. The town of Troy has most definitely stolen a piece of the hearts of the university's students, and we are never getting it back. I volunteer at Troy's local Head Start and the Child Advocacy Center. It is both a blessing and a reward to be able to reach out to the community I live in on a weekly basis. During Freshman Forum's HoopComing event, we donated the money we raised to a local after-school program called "Open Gym" so they could get new equipment for the kids to use. Troy's children definitely have my heart, and I am sure many of my fellow students would agree.
"Being an athlete, I get to see people bring their kids to all of our games, and at the end we do autographs and little things that makes the kids want to come to all of the university's sporting events. It's a great experience." Sydney Chandler, Sophomore at Mississippi College, Occupational Therapy, member of Chenoa Girl's Tribe. 
My friends and I all agree that small universities are where it's at. I know for a fact that there is no where else I'd rather be than in Troy, Alabama, for the next three years! I got so much out of my freshman year that I can't imagine the great things yet to come!
