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Congratulations! You’ve finished high school and you’re ready to plan out the next few years of your life. Part of selecting a college that is right for you involves deciding whether you will attend a small college, large university, or somewhere in between. Here is a list of reasons for choosing a small college over a large university.
Small College Community
Small colleges like University of California, Davis or California State University, Chico offer students a sense of community. Not only do small class sizes provide students with a chance to develop friendships and work together, but students also have a higher chance of running into acquaintances around campus and developing more connections that way. For these reasons, small colleges provide a community quality to student education.
College Class Size and Experience
At small colleges like Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, class sizes are small and students often participate in classroom discussions and hands on learning activities. Professors have a limited number of students so they learn the names and faces of individual students. There is often time for class discussions or hands-on activities. Students are provided more direction and support at small colleges
College Faculty Access
Small colleges often allow for opportunities to get to know professors during office hours. In small colleges, professors often teach their own courses and can advise undergraduates on course selections. For example, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo has small classes sizes and professors with several office hours and support availability.
College Athletics
Sports programs at small colleges are often less competitive than their large university counterparts. Since teams are less competitive, one doesn’t have to be an absolute star to get on a college team. Small colleges like California State University, Chico often have very active intramural sports teams and other less competitive, “just for fun” activities on campus, as well as nationally competitive sports programs
College Advising and Guidance
At a small college, students can often create their own individually-designed majors. Advisors know their students well and can recommend specific course paths to take. Further, if a small town college has an especially good program in a certain area, it may draw in private companies to recruit new graduates. This can give students an advantage, especially if they are a big fish in a small pond.
Libraries in Colleges and Universities
Libraries at small colleges may not be as well-stocked as those at larger universities. Smaller libraries often mean less selection, especially on more obscure topics. However, since most libraries today are connected to the internet, students can also request books online from other libraries in the system.
College Housing
Going to a small college sometimes means accepting the limited housing options available near campus. Small colleges like California State University, Monterey Bay have a couple of options.
Social Opportunities in Colleges and Universities
While small colleges may offer fewer choices in entertainment and social opportunities, they do offer more leadership opportunities. Since there are fewer students to compete with, this can be an advantage if you are interested in running for a student body position. Small colleges do often have some fraternities and sororities on campus that recruit new members each quarter or semester. They also have some clubs and organizations that help students meet to people and interact outside of classes. They just can’t offer the variety that a large university can.
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