Pros & Cons Of A Small College | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Pros & Cons Of A Small College

What it's like to attend a tiny school.

2799
Pros & Cons Of A Small College
Truett McConnell University

After attending a small college and then going to visit friends at larger universities, I've begun to see some differences. Small schools are not for everyone, I can promise that. There are pros and cons to it and for some, the cons outweigh the pros. Personally, I love my tiny college, flaws and all. Can anyone relate to this list?

Pro: You can't get lost on campus.

It's practically impossible to get lost on a small campus once you learn your way around (which takes a week or less). If your school is anything like mine, there's one main building for classes, so navigation is real simple.

Con: Everyone knows EVERYTHING.

It's really not their business, but they know it anyways. No one knows how they know, but word travels fast at a small school. Good or bad, everyone will know your news about 5 hours after it occurs. Sometimes they know before you do!

Pro: Class isn't a long walk/drive from your dorm.

We all live on campus, so we don't have to drive 15 minutes to get to class. It's only a 5 minute walk, up a major hill at TMU, but nonetheless, still just a 5 minute walk. So oversleeping isn't as big of a deal because we don't have to fight traffic in the morning; just grab your backpack and head out!

Con: There's less to do on campus & in town.

Because the school is so small, there's not much to do on campus most days. And if your college is like TMU, it's in a tiny town too. So yet again, nothing to do even off campus. Which isn't always horrible because that means less distractions, but sometimes it would be nice to be able to do stuff without driving 45 minutes to do so.

Pro: Professors are better.

To them, you're not just another number. They actually care about you and your grades, so they're most likely more willing to help you. Also, they are often more than just professors. They become mentors, counselors, Bible study leaders, and sometimes your "grandma". (Shoutout to Dr. Lombard!)

Con: Less majors offered.

The path may seem a little more narrow at smaller schools. Less courses are offered for less of a variety of majors. But no worries, they're adding more and constantly growing! We'll catch up one day!

Pro/Con: The classes are smaller.

For me, this is a huge PRO! However, some would disagree. To me, this means more time to answer personalized questions and understand the material. If a professor has 300 students in a class, they won't have as much time to help each student that has a concern. If there's only 60 students, it's not as difficult. Some students would rather hide in a large crowd, but I think it benefits a student academically to be in a smaller class.

Con: It's harder to avoid people.

Of course there's going to be people that you don't like or have beef with, so logically, the solution is to avoid them altogether. It's a little harder to do that when the crowd is smaller and you probably have at least one class with them (and the class has 30 people in it). It's not completely impossible, just a little more challenging.

Pro: You get to know more people.

It's easier to make friends when you begin to recognize the same faces over and over again and slowly get to know them. You'll likely have classes in common with a variety of people more than once, so you'll have the opportunity to befriend them easily. It sorta feels like high school in that sense.

Pro: This is HOME.

It's not just a big city that happens to have a school in the middle of it. This campus is small and quaint, but it's personal. It feels like home.


Overall, attending a small college isn't that bad. I actually love it. Like I said before, it's not for everyone, but it's most definitely for me. I'd rather be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond any day.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Honorary Roommate
Rachel Zadeits

For some of us, coming to college was the first time we ever had to share a room. It was a big change, but a fun one. As you meet more and more people over the course of your college career, it seems to be a pattern that you will at some point have that one friend that doesn't live with you, but acts like they do. We call those people, "Honorary Roommates" and here are 11 signs you have one in your life.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons Why It's Awesome When Your Best Friend Gets New Friends

She may not be with you 24/7 but it's all good because you're soul sisters.

809
super friends
Gabi Morales

We all have a person, and when that person makes some new friends, we tend to forget all the great things that can come out of it. Never forget how special they are to you and why you are best friends.

Keep Reading...Show less
mountains

If you're like me, then the last semester kicked your butt, big time. Lots of papers, projects, and overall chaos. While some things are beyond our control, there are some things you can do to make this semester one of your best ones yet!

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

8 Cringey College Tinder Stories

. Cringey Tinder stories from some Tinder girls

2793
a man and a woman sitting at a table
Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash

Toilet Troubles

"So, usually I would never go on a Tinder date but when you are out with girlfriends and a hot Bosnian guy says he wants to hang with you and his friends, you oblige. We head to their apartment and when I realized I may pee my pants if I don't find a bathroom soon. I ask for the bathroom and a friend of my tinder date shows me to it and said in all seriousness that I was not allowed to flush the toilet under ANY circumstances. Having a few drinks--or five--I relieved myself to, nevertheless, flush the toilet. Within seconds, his bathroom was flooded and towels were laid out everywhere to catch the toilet water. To say the least, we were not invited back"

Keep Reading...Show less
Girl with a Guy Bestfriend
vignette3

I can confidently say that about 90 percent of all the friends I have are male. It's just always been that way since I was a kid. Over the years, I've heard a lot of things and I've learned a lot of things, and here it all is. Enjoy!

If you're a girl with a guy best friend you know that...

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments