Tusculum College isn't the type of college you grow up seeing in movies and television shows. The cafeteria isn't some luxurious food court that you'd find in a mall. The campus isn't miles wide with confusing roads and intersections. There aren't students milling around the campus at all hours. Why? Because Tusculum College has a student body the size of a high school. It isn't some huge university. But that's what makes you fall in love with it.

Sure, Tusculum has drawbacks that can be expected only from a private college with a small student body. There are pros and cons to everything. It's up to the individual to decide which outweighs the other.

The Small Student Body

Pros: It's easier to know everyone. The classes are tiny, which means one-on-one interaction with professors.

Cons: Rumors spread like a wildfire in southern California. There's no such thing as secrets. Your professors notice when you're not in class.

Small City Setting

Pros: Nothing too dramatic happens except maybe some car crashes here and there. The Walmart is never too busy.

Cons: There's nothing to do. When you tell people what city Tusculum is in, they always say, "Never heard of it. You mean Greenville, North Carolina?" Johnson City is 30 minutes away and that's also where the closest IHOP is located.

Mountain Location

Pros: The view is beautiful no matter where you are. What more could you want?

Cons: There are none. The mountains are breathtaking.

Tuition

Pros: Even if you're out of state, you pay the same high price as everyone else.

Cons: It's expensive for everybody.

Three Hour Classes

Pros: If you have an afternoon class, you can sleep until 12:20 pm and still make it to class on time. If the class is one you enjoy, it goes by fast.

Cons: If you have a morning class and aren't a morning person, the three hours is filled with dozing off. Depending on the professor, it could mean three hours of nonstop lecturing.

Small Campus

Pros: You can wake up ten minutes before class and still make it on time.

Cons: You can't use heavy traffic--except for commuters--or having to walk far as an excuse to be late to class.

The Church Across The Street

Pros: The church allows students to use its parking lot. It's very convenient if you live in Apartment F and can only find open spots at the Indoor Practice Facility that seems forever away when it's snowing.

Cons: If you're trying to take a nap in Apartment F, forget about it. The church bells toll every hour on the hour.

Everything has pros and cons. Tusculum College is not perfect, but the cons are a small price to pay for the experience--except for the tuition, that isn't small. Overall, Tusculum College is a small school with some room to grow, but I wouldn't want to go anywhere else.