When I was trying to find the right college during high school, I was stuck between a state university of around 15,000 students and a private liberal arts college of around 900. I chose the latter, not only because my financial aid package was much larger there, but also because visiting the campus gave me insight into how great a small campus is.
Now, in my junior year, I could not be happier with my decision.
Here are some reasons why I would still choose my small school over a giant state university any day.
The views
Rocky Mountain College
Elena Kreiner
My campus may be smaller than yours, but it is so beautiful. Plus, it takes about seven minutes to walk from one end to the other — a huge perk if you live on campus and want to get as much sleep as you can! And the town is small enough that, even now that I live off campus, it's only a five-minute drive to class. And parking isn't even (that) hard to find.
The sports
2017 National NAIA Tournament
Elena Kreiner
Our teams may be smaller, but our sports feel bigger. We're not an NCAA powerhouse, but our teams are still amazing to watch. Almost 40 percent of the students at my school are athletes, and some of our teams are consistent national champions.
The crowd's energy feels so much stronger during games, and cheering on your friends and classmates is such an awesome feeling in college. Plus, I don't have to fight crowds or buy tickets to get into any of our games.
The atmosphere
RMC Harry Potter Banquet
Elena Kreiner
There's almost always something to do at my school. Our student activities board is insanely active, putting together everything from student tailgates to Harry Potter themed dinners to pizza parties and bowling outings.
Our outdoor rec department puts together everything from trips to the local climbing gym to 100-mile bike rides through the nearby mountains. We have tons of clubs and groups on campus, and with such a tight-knit community, it's easy to get involved.
Student leadership is huge on my campus, and in the two years I've been here, I've been an RA, a tutor and a peer mentor, all because of how inspired I was by the great atmosphere on campus.
The classes
@rockymountaincollege / Instagram
My college's student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. I think the largest class I ever had was my freshman year Geology 101 lecture of about 50 students. At a state school I looked at, most classes were in huge lecture halls.
I like not just being a number in a classroom; having a smaller student-to-faculty ratio has helped me tremendously in college. Plus, smaller classes lead to much better discussions and learning — not to mention that forming study groups is easier when your roommates and neighbors are in class with you.
The community
Student Section at an RMC Football Game
Elena Kreiner
Giant schools may be great for some people, but if I had gone to a larger university, I think I would have gotten lost in the crowd. My college campus has really become my second home, and the connections I've made are so much stronger than any others I've formed.
I love my small campus, and I don't know that I would have succeeded anywhere else.
Colleges are all unique, and I'll obviously never know what my life would have been like if I had decided to go to a larger university. All I know is that I love my college and am so grateful that I made the choice that I did.
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