Picking a college can be hard, the application process is stressful and hearing back is even more. When you're looking at schools end of junior year and beginning of senior year it can be difficult to see the pros in each. If you're choosing between a huge university or a small liberal arts college here are some reasons why I think the smaller the better:
1. What are finals?
Most of your teachers are either too cool to have a final because they would rather spend their free time skiing, fishing or biking just like the rest of their students. Or they're just old or lazy and don't feel like grading everyone's five essays and 25 multiple choice questions.
2. It's not hard to make really good friends.
Most of the people that you have class with you're going to have class with for the rest of your time at school, so anyone would say it's better to make friends sooner than later.
3. It's a town, not a city...
and you can tell. For students that are used to small towns, it's a great atmosphere. Small college towns are just big enough that they still have opportunities but small enough that it's not insanely overwhelming
4. Connections
You can make friends with other people's friends and then get to know their friends all at the same party. Everyone knows everyone, some people hate it but I love having multiple friend groups.
5. Networking
In small towns when you have a job your boss usually knows someone who needs a babysitter or can set you up with a second job that will help with rent, the more people you know the easier it is to get around
6. Campus doesn't take 30 minutes to walk across.
If your class is across campus at 8:15 a.m., you don't have to wake up at 7:45 just to walk there, you can wake up at 8 and still have time to stop and buy a coffee.
7.Classes are so small that if you miss it your teacher knows.
There's a bigger sense of accountability at small universities...
8. If you do miss class, your professor sees you on campus and reprimands you for it.
Right after they give you a hug and ask if you're feeling better, or more realistically how the powder day was.
9. It's easy to get on a professor's good side.
Or even worse their bad side. By the second week of school your professor most likely knows everyone's name and class habits so be sure to set yourself up for success, or the rest of the semester will be a real bummer.
10. Dorms are small.
You know your RA on a really personal level. They're rooting for all their residents. She knows your boyfriend and she obviously approves because he's cute.
11. Opportunities are endless.
Whether it be with the cute guy that lives down the hall or your dream to write for the school newspaper, a lot more is possible at a small school. There are fewer people, which evidently means easier networking and bigger, usually better opportunities that face students who take advantage of all that is offered.
