Advantages and Disadvantages of going to a Small College

[brebre234]

1. Smaller class room sizes

Smaller class room sizes gives you a chance to know your professor better and connect with other students in the class with out being distracted.

2. Short distance walk

My experience of going to a small university all my classes were closed by where I lived which means shorter walking distance for me.

3. Smaller campus means rumors spread around quickly

Try not to be involved in drama at all because if you do everyone knows your business.

4. More access to valuable resources

Due to my university being so small hardly no one went to the library which means it was always the perfect place to study!

5. Getting tired of the cafeteria food

Since my university is not only small it is also private. Due to this my university signed a contract with the city agreeing to have no major restaurants such as Starbucks affiliated with the university. So as a result we only have a cafeteria and the school cafe which is better than the cafeteria but the food could become tiring also.

6. Limited Class options and majors

Going to a small university there is a major disadvantage to this because I experienced when signing up for classes especially one that I really need, there is only one section offered for that class and most of the time it is already full.

7. Cost

Do I really need to explain?

8. Limited Housing

Due to the university being so small housing fills up fast and most of the time when a spot does open up you are rooming with a person you don't want to live with or you just don't like the dorm/apartment you were placed in.

9. Lifelong friendships

Throughout my experience I have found some friends that have been my friend throughout my whole university experience.

Overall the small college experience can have its advantages and disadvantages. My small college experience had its advantages and disadvantages to it. (Just look at my first myTake). Let me know in the comments below about your experience in college

[HungLikeAHorsefly]

I'm biased because I went to a large research university so I don't really know what I'm talking about, but this post made me think of a couple of friends of mine.

They were both physics majors for their undergraduate degrees. One went to a very small, elite private college and the other went to a large public school. They were both acquaintances and they both wanted to go on to get a Ph. D. so they formed a little rivalry about who got into the better grad school. They both had straight A's and they both took the best classes from the best professors they could to prepare for graduate school.

The guy from the private school ended up at Purdue - a big public school but still pretty good for physics. The guy from the public school ended up at Princeton University. What was the difference? Research universities have much more opportunity for undergrad research than small colleges do. Period.

Fast forward a few years and guess what? They're both physics professors and nobody gives two shits where they went to school.

[brebre234]

Lol I agree research universities have way many opportunities than small universities.

[zozo7880]

When its all over all that matters is your degree is applicable and helps you get the job you want. If not the college was a waste of time. Regardless of size. If the name of the college makes a difference when finding a job then that matters, otherwise the college itself usually doesn't

[brebre234]

Yes that is true because the college I go to is well known in the state but not all over. Fortunately I plan on attending law school after I graduate so hopefully I get a job then lol

[Anonymous]

When I was touring colleges, I actually went to one so small that the dorms were in some cases, located above the classes themselves and it took probably 20 minutes to walk from one end of campus to the other. It was awful. I just couldn't see going to a place so small and having the whole high school vibe again where it's the same people all the time. Instead I went to a major university with fifty thousand students. My freshman and sophmore years I was definitely a number, but when I got into classes with your major, many of them were no bigger than my high school classes. I loved the vibe of all the energy on campus and getting to see and meet people from around the world. Looking back, I would have never traded that for a smaller school. To each their own.

[brebre234]

Yes I agree I attend a small university and its definelty a high school vibe with drama, people in each other business, rumors, etc. I had friends who didn't want to date on campus because of the people spreading their business on campus. Its crazy. I would of love going to bigger university however Im graduating next year so there is no point lol

[Opinion Owner]

Yeah, my grand parents used to live in a small town and everyone knew everything about everyone. I hated it. I would visit and they would know my whole life because she'd told them. It was weird. High school, the same way, especially now with cell phones. I loved being basically Anonymous and being able to do my own thing and just be free of HS soap operas everyday. You have so many opportunities and choices on campus which high school just didn't have.

[btbc92]

Wow. A lot to take in for myself with that one when I get to school. I think community colleges are a bit better depending on where you go. A lot more flexibility without overbearing cost.

[brebre234]

Yeah depending on where you go there are some community colleges that have really good programs!

[Scarecrow13]

I can speak to this as I went to a small college.
1. I agree with the class sizes. In fact the professors would often interact with students outside of class, in the office or lunch area.
2. Definitely this too, I have seen some colleges that are so massive you basically have a bus to get from one end to the other.
3. Yea rumors abound and there aren't really any secrets, although the same was true for my small high school.
4. I somewhat disagree. The library was never crowded this is true, but they had limited resources on hand, so occasionally I would go to the larger university down the street to use their library if they didn't have a book at mine.
5. Yea that was pretty much the same for mine as well, and I didn't keep much food on hand in the dorm, which meant we got creative between meals with what we did have.
6. This was kind of an issue but #1 also makes up for it a bit.
7. No argument there.
8. I am not sure how it compared, I never had trouble finding housing on campus, there weren't that many dorms but there weren't that many students living on campus either so it about evened out.
9. Sort of true, although I don't talk to most all that often anymore, I actually have more friends from my Community college I went to before that.

[HotJealousy]

Tbf, my university is 32,000 people so can't relate to any of this 😂 My lectures have over 200 people in them, I live on campus as most freshers do, but next year I'll have a 20 minute walk to lectures. But the library is like four storys... and there's three of them, plus each faculty will have it's own study area which is like a small library

I like a big university because when I get bored of my friends (which has happened) I can easily go find new friends very easily and won't ever bump into my old friends :)

[IlyaTheImpaler]

1. This depends more on the course you take, for some courses you might have to study with other majors (like for Calculus, or Methods of mathematics, or Neural Networks you'd have to study with engineering, physics, chemistry, economic, etc students) and then you have algebraic geometry where the class has like 8 students 😂. For a typical third year course the class size is about 20.

2. I live in campus

4. We have like more than 30 libraries divided by fields of study, they are not always crowded. I never study at the library anyway, the best resource is in my computer, but they are great for private group discussion.

7. Just get a scholarship :))))

8. Scholars get priority in accommodation

9. I don't need friends, I operate alone (jk my friends live on the same floor)

From my experience at Cal (or UC Berkeley)

[Massageman]

My order daughter went to a big well-known state university, while my younger one went to a highly rated private. Both turned out well. Both picked the schools on the basis of being tops in the areas of study they pursued. And both were between 500 and 1,000 miles from home. sigh

[Massageman]

Order daughter? I just MUST get rid this " auto-correct".

[brebre234]

Lol its okay I knew what you meant. And thats good about you kids. I kind of wish I went to a bigger university but there is no point now since Im graduating next year lol

[Massageman]

Could always go for post-grad work since the bigger universities will- typically- offer more post-grad degrees. ;- )

And both my kids liked their colleges for the very reasons you mentioned for each type.

[brebre234]

Yes I plan on attending law school!

[ROCKS128]

Yea i totally agree on this.
One of my friend couldnt get a good reputed college and went to a small one which he was eligible for.
While i ended up in a big Institute, since i scored much better.

He is living much better life than me, his environment seems soo content and satisfied. He always holding the true smile on his face, he doesn't even face big difficulties.

While i am a tiny thing in this big institute. Which has been making me sick when i visited him and realised these.😂

[brebre234]

Lol wow I always wanted to go to a bigger institution because it is less drama, cheaper and more opportunities (as far as research). But hey guess there is advantages and disadvantages for both.

[anupamagrawal]

I went to a very big college which is the most recognized and graded college of our district and state too. It was huge with thousands of students and things are also not that much systematic due to large numbers of people around. But, thankfully it was a Government college and it almost cost nothing to study there. The study was also quite good and I made the MERIT list.

I sure miss such low-cost education as now my son's class 1 costs more than all my education up to the Master's degree.

[BCRanger10]

Big disadvantage (particularly if it's a small Catholic college, like the one I went to) - If a young man and young woman are seen doing ANYTHING together, people assume they're dating and on the verge or getting married.

[brebre234]

Omg I go to a small catholic college right now and its SMH. Words can't describe how I feel about the people on campus.

[BCRanger10]

Where is your college?

[brebre234]

Florida

[BCRanger10]

Is it Ave Maria?

[brebre234]

No lol

[DizzyDesii]

#1 false. It was still huge classes
#2 it was 30 mins from everyone. I don't know if thats short lol
#4 nah ours was packed
#6 sadly true
#7 nah it was $10k cheaper

Nice take

[brebre234]

Dang lol. How big were your classes?

[DizzyDesii]

40-60 people

[DizzyDesii]

The smaller the school the more they pack per class

[brebre234]

Dang thats a lot at mine couldnt exceed 30.

[Pink2000]

I go to a small college part time and a university full time. The difference is crazy. Being in class with 15 people vs being in class with 185 people. Have to walk downstairs to get to a class vs having to walk 25 minutes.

[brebre234]

Oh yeah it is!

[art84]

I went to a community college which had a small campus. It was nice as it small though it was limited in what classes you could take and majors you could take. After attending there for four years, I went to the main campus which was much larger and you could take pretty much anything there that they didn't offer at the junior campus. It was a such a different world and atmosphere.

[InTimoreDei]

Rumors spread just as quickly on bigger campuses when you reach Masters and PhD due to the small amount of people involved.

[brebre234]

Really? So its no better in graduate school?

[InTimoreDei]

Nope :P

[brebre234]

Omg see I want to go to law school. I understand people talk about you every day but I thought it was going to be a more mature environment lol

[zagor]

Yeah when I was in grad school im Maht, I thought the profs would be mature and logical - instead they talk about each other like middle school girls.

[brebre234]

@zagor Yeah we have that problem at my school too. But its mostly the older ones talking about each other.

[zagor]

Was up at my old school a few weeks ago. A state school that has nearly doubled in enrollment since I was there. It was kind of sad how things have gone downhill while expenses have more than doubled.

[brebre234]

Yeah its like that at my college. Like we need more housing on campus. Instead the school want to build things like a lazy river, a new fitness center, and a Starbucks. To me the fitness center is fine all it need is some remodeling but to build a second one on campus is unnecessary. I think that's the problem with a lot of colleges wanting to build things that are unnecessary which is the reason why tuition goes up every year.

[zagor]

They are competing for students. Which sadly means adding a lot of useless BS while continually degrading the actual student experience.

[brebre234]

Yes my school is doing the same too. They trying to recruit more Asians on campus. To me I think its pointless because my college is not a well known college. Everytime I tell somebody where I go they would say they never heard of the college which is kind of embarrassing. I know a lot of people (especially Asians because I have some has friends) they would rather go to well known universities rather than one that is not popular.

[zagor]

The dorms I lived in, the doubles are now triples, the singles are doubles, and the former lounges are now quadruples or quintuples. And they asked me to advocate to HS seniors?

[brebre234]

Oh wow thats crazy. And I would advocate alright by telling them not to go there lol

[helpseeker15]

I agree with all of this. I went to a large university, and my introductory first year psychology class had over 1400 people in it alone. With such a class size, you really feel distant from the lecturer, and isolated from anyone else

[Liam_Hayden]

I have found that the biggest advantage is that everyone knows you. It can also be the biggest disadvantage.

[brebre234]

Yes and if you are surrounded by petty drama, freakin rumors would spread fast since its a small college.

[Afrochick]

UGH huge city colleges are suffocating and isolating.
Small ones all the way.

[brebre234]

Really? Im suffocating and isolated at mine! LOL

[nbbn5]

Yes , the classrooms are close to each other
Faculty rooms are not far away
You don't have to walk much in the college
You get to know more people as they are closely situated inside a building
Eatery not far away
Not too much crowded

[John_Doesnt]

I went to a super small college and I got a great career out of it.

[brebre234]

Thats good!

[Evil_Chuck]

I commuted to a small college (about 6000 students) to minimize expenses. It was in a small town, quiet but close to the highway. There were several different buildings, so I got plenty of exercise. Great experience.

[DDpsy]

You forgot one of the most important aspects. Limited or shitty undergrad research opportunities.

[brebre234]

Yes Definitely!

[CURIOUShErE1]

As Kong’s as they are accredited and teach what you want the rest will not matter.

[CURIOUShErE1]

Meant long not Kong’s. Haha! King Kong doesn’t factor in. Hahahahahahaha:D!!

[brebre234]

Lol I knew what you meant and true!

[CURIOUShErE1]

Haha:D!!