When I first started searching for potential colleges, I never thought about the size of the college I wanted to go to. Sure, it seems like a pretty trivial detail to consider, but I learned that it would play a vital role in my search. After I became sure that I wanted to study history, I began looking at the kind of campus life I wanted to live. I knew that I wanted to live on campus, so community colleges were out. I also wanted to stay in state, so out of state schools were out, too. That's when I found Wesley College. I had never heard of Wesley before, but after researching the college, I became very interested. They offered a good history program, and I became convince enough to take a tour of the school. I absolutely fell in love with the small school setting. I then came to the conclusion that Wesley offered things that I didn't even realized I wanted. It was only an hour away from home, and it was nestled in a lovely historic town.
Many people might assume that a small college is a dull one. That is simply not the truth with Wesley. It is truly a school full of life and opportunity, but by being a smaller college, it also came with a bunch of great perks. Many of which, became the sole reason I picked the smaller school. While I could go into specifics, I have found that these reasons revolved around the nature of the small school's environment. So, here is why I chose a smaller school in the first place.
For one, the campus is much easier to navigate. A smaller school provides a quicker way to get to classes, clubs, and little lovely places to hang out with friends. The smaller environment is certainly elegant in its own way, and it definitely made me feel more connected with the campus itself. The smaller size definitely made campus life a lot less intimidating. Especially to a kid fresh out of high school.
A smaller campus also provides a healthier learning environment. A smaller school means a smaller student population, which also means smaller classes. This allows for the professors to work more closely with students. It certainly proved true, as at Wesley the professors really try to teach students instead of just lecturing them for a paycheck. In my first year alone I made friends with several professors who taught me so much. The quality of education is so much better at smaller schools.
Overall, a smaller campus just feels better. It feels more like home than an institution. Smaller colleges leave a lot of room for individual growth, and definitely advocates a common community among students. I am glad that I chose a smaller school in the long run. I know that at Wesley I will receive a quality education and live a comfortable life on campus.
