BIG SCHOOL VS. SMALL SCHOOL.
“A rose is honored for its beauty, not its size.” – Matshona Dhliwayo
School size is one of the biggest factors that students consider when selecting a college. There are some misconceptions about both sides: big schools and small schools. You might be surprised to hear that most adults, polled later in life, say that they believe they could have benefited more from attending a school with smaller classes sizes than larger, more “popular” colleges and universities.
But there is no one-size-fits-all when selecting a college, this process is unique to you and your family. A Ford or an Acura or a Subaru, a van or a car or a truck, those all have the ability to get you where you want to go. But each of those certainly have differences, and each also with their own pro’s and con’s.
Below are some reasons why you should or should not consider one side over the other. Step back, be objective, and make the process your own.
WHY CHOOSE A BIG SCHOOL?
AT A GLANCE
ENROLLMENT: typically greater than 15,000
STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: could be as high as 30:1
THE PRO’S
TUITION COSTS
Costs are a big factor for almost everybody when investigating their college options. Most of the big, popular institutions are state schools. In general, the tuition COULD be lower than what you would pay elsewhere at a private institution. This is not always the case though, so make sure you know what the true cost of attendance will be for you. That higher number of students can sometimes help keep tuition costs down.
CHOICES
Large schools can offer students depth and breadth in their majors that could be unavailable at smaller colleges. Students are more likely at a large university to be able to take highly specialized majors, in such areas as business and management (management information systems, human resources or supply chain management, etc.). Larger campuses may also offer more unique minors to pair with a major, such as film studies, social work, criminology, etc.
NAME RECOGNITION OF SCHOOL AND FACULTY
College athletics does contribute a lot to name recognition. The U.S. is unique as compared to the rest of the world in how much emphasis we place on college athletics. Big schools typically have large athletic communities of students and fans alike. They are big, loud, visible, and in a sense also tribal.
From a teaching faculty sense, large schools can sometimes have faculty members who are better-known or leaders in their respective fields. At large universities, especially during the junior and senior years, students could have the opportunities to be taught by nationally-known experts who are doing cutting-edge research.
RESOURCES
Everything is big at big schools including the availability of resources. As an undergrad at a large school, you’ll potentially be able to access the graduate school libraries for more in-depth research if wanted or needed. Large universities also do enormous amounts of scientific research, all of which costs lots and lots of money. That money is spent on tools and methods to conduct that research.
Bigger schools can also typically offer a broad selection of housing and dining options, academic support, sports fields and arenas, gardens, museums, and academic resource centers that could be larger as well.
PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCE
Simply put, you are around a lot more people. And many will be from places you have never heard of. The “Big School Experience” offers a broad base of students and an enormous set of perspectives. You’re more likely to have your views and values challenged and perhaps changed in ways you never anticipated because you’re surrounded by people from diverse backgrounds with different life experiences than what you have had so far in your own life.
There are many opportunities at large schools also for Greek life and social opportunities in and outside of your dormitory and social circle.
ALUMNI NETWORK
If you are thinking about your college education in terms of a return on your investment (ROI), one POSSIBLE perk for a large school is the sheer size of its career services and alumni network. But it is also important to understand that not all big schools are equal here! Still, some employers are very loyal to their undergraduate colleges and universities and recruit, in part, based on some of that loyalty. Large schools COULD make it easier to tap into their alumni network as you look for summer jobs, summer internships, or work during the school year.
EXTRA OPPORTUNITIES
If you’re curious about life, you’ll probably never be bored at a big school. There could be opportunities for guest lectures, theatre performances, international and current event discussions, community service opportunities, museum exhibits, workshops, extracurricular clubs and organizations, seminars, sporting events, independent films and the list goes on. Big schools typically offer experiences that can both supplement and complement what you’re learning in the classroom.
THE CON’S
There are a lot of great reasons to love the things a big school can offer but they come with one caveat: You have to seek those things out, and sometimes it is not as easy as it might seem.
ACCESS
Large schools are often criticized for having courses taught by or seminars led by Teaching Assistants. The quality of TA’s varies dramatically. Where a large school could provide you with the opportunity to learn from a very respected professor, the class may not be led by the professor, and your papers surely may not be graded by them either. In addition to that, getting access to the professor 1-on-1 could be impossible. There are only so many minutes in a day, and having to compete with thousands of other students for a personal meeting is something to consider. Professors at large universities also typically end up spending a large portion of their time dealing with graduate students.
ANONYMITY
There’s so much to do on campus and a lot of shiny objects. But the flip side, unfortunately, is that it is easy to disappear or feel alone at a large university. With so many students on campus, it can feel big and impersonal. You might be in a lecture class with 300 other students and no opportunity to interact or connect to any of them, unless you seek it. Some students want and love the anonymity, and others may think they will, and end up not.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
It is also possible that with all of the options provided on campus that a student becomes TOO immersed. For many, college is the first opportunity in life that they are away from home and “free” of their parents. Spending all of your time meeting interesting people and becoming very social can greatly distract from what college is there for: classroom training for your career.
SIZE AND TRAVEL
Big schools typically have expansive campuses with many, many buildings scattered around. Depending on where you choose to live (or are assigned to live) you may be taking a bus to get to class, taking a bike ride, or walking much farther than you expected to get there. This is all extra time you need to assign in your day to get back and forth and manage yourself.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Schools have tutoring options, sure. But simply put, no one really cares if you get a D. You might care and your family might care, but the reality is that TA’s and professors are dealing with hundreds if not thousands of students. You probably will never get any true, personal coaching unless you give it to yourself. School takes discipline and it takes a lot of proper time management. At a place where no one is holding you directly accountable, it can be very easy to simply skirt your responsibilities or fall through the cracks.
WHY CHOOSE A SMALL SCHOOL?
AT A GLANCE
ENROLLMENT: 5,000 or lower
STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: could be as low as 10:1
THE PRO’S
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
A small college can offer a student a sort of home away from home, where everyone knows each other. It won’t be hard to find familiar faces all over campus. It could be easier at a smaller college to make friends, and feel a little more cozy with your surroundings. It can be a fully immersive experience for a student. If you’re the sort of person that flourishes within a tight-knit community, one where you can feel comfortable with familiar surroundings and people, then a small school may work best for you.
TUITION COSTS
There is a misconception about costs at a private school. Certainly, there are some that are very expensive on the top, but you have to also discipline yourself to not just look at price-tags. Private schools are allowed to award money however they want. There are opportunities to get school scholarships and merit-based aid that can make these very affordable options. You should not get discouraged from applying, regardless of the initial price-tag.
LESS COMPETITION
Less students fighting for classes, less students fighting for time with the professors. At a smaller college, you could have more opportunities to get truly involved in organizations and student government, etc. and to stand out. And maybe the biggest: Less competition for financial aid. You will probably find that the aid office is more willing to be flexible. You may also have a better ability to get into work-study programs.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The small class environment can give you a much greater opportunity to ask questions, participate in discussion, and have a professor who actually knows who you are. In general, small colleges have a much more student-centered approach to education than large universities. Small colleges usually don't have graduate programs, so you won't be taught by graduate students. Small schools are also more likely to be in tune with your specific strengths and goals, making the educational environment a lot richer for you.
QUALITY OF ASSIGNMENTS
Something few students want to hear: You are going to write more essays at small universities and colleges. And believe it or not, that’s a good thing. Genuine education is about more than memorizing a few answers and surviving a multiple-choice test. Instead, you really learn about a subject by doing your own research and then contributing to existing scholarship by writing papers. And, the professor themselves actually critiques your work and offers feedback. At larger schools, there are more tests and fewer essays because of the huge class sizes. Simply, teachers do not have enough time to grade 50 - 500 essays several times throughout the semester.
LESS RED-TAPE
Changing classes at a big school can be a real headache. At small colleges you will be spared the endless lines at registration, and the sprinting between many offices to try to get your simplest questions answered and to get signatures. Typically, smaller colleges are more flexible about requirements and give you more leeway to construct programs that meet individual interests. Some even allow you to design your own majors or don't have majors at all. What's good about this is that you can take only the courses that you want, rather than sitting in on endless classes that the university thinks every student should have to take.
ACCESS TO PROFESSORS
At smaller schools, faculty are typically involved in advising and counseling. This could give you a much closer, personal relationship with the faculty, where you have more of an ability to work together. At smaller schools, it's the undergraduates who are called upon to look up the sources, help conduct the experiments, and often even write up (or present at a conference) the findings with the professor. And it is not just a work-saving move for the professor, part of the teaching mission at many small schools is to engage the students in the research of the faculty, more of a shared experience rather than a one-way communication of information.
THE CON’S
Generally speaking, the smaller the school the less options COULD be available in some areas. Local businesses though will typically cater to students, making some of the available options more than you might expect.
The real con’s of a smaller school fall under the mantle of “options”.
FEWER CHOICES FOR MAJORS / MINORS
A small college will offer a smaller variety of majors and courses, and therefore fewer opportunities to change your field of study throughout your college years. A student should make sure they do plenty of research in your field of study before committing. Many smaller colleges might have limited academic offerings, with more of a focus on liberal arts or a specialty such as STEM programs.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES
With a small school and campus, the accommodations will most likely be limited. Many do not have much campus housing, so living off-campus may be a necessity. This could affect an experience for someone who wants that “traditional college experience”. This can also affect dining choices and whether or not a student has a particular dietary need. Simply stated, there are less options at your disposal. Small schools also tend to have fewer facilities than larger institutions in terms of research and resources. Because of this, there MAY be less extracurricular activities for students to choose from as well.
Understand this too, though: Small colleges still have to recruit talent and acquire students. They know they need to have offerings for student life and excitement. Don’t dismiss a small school until you find out the answers to those questions.
AS YOU CAN SEE, EACH HAS THEIR PRO’S AND THEIR CON’S. THERE IS NO “ONE” ANSWER, AND NO RIGHT OR WRONG ONE EITHER!
MAKE THE PROCESS YOUR OWN.
