What are the advantages and disadvantages of going to a big or small college? I consider 2000 and less to be a small school, 2001-10,000 to be a medium school, and 10,001 and higher to be a large school....
2006-07-30 12:35:23 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
Class size. You have to look at the size of the classes, not the totl enrollment. I have been in classes the have had 300+ students in them at a 10k school.
2006-07-30 12:39:12 · answer #1 · answered by Daniel Z 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As an undergraduate, I went to a very small private college (~2000 students total, maybe 400 on campus). There were alot of advantages, including having close relationships with my professors, feeling safe and comfortable on campus, and having class in a very informal setting. There were some disadvantages though, like not having the resources of a larger school (more computers, nicer dorms, etc.) and not having a wide range of degrees to choose from because the faculty was so small.
Now, I go to graduate school at a large university (over 25,000 students). You don't get very much attention (usually), but there's alot of diversity on campus, you have more course/degree opportunities, and there are tons of activities on campus that you can participate in.
I can't say which is better. What I can say is that it depends alot on your own personality and what your educational goals are. If you want to go into research, computers, or an equally competitive field, you might want to consider a bigger university where big name scientists and rich labs abound. Or, if you're more interested in the humanities, music, psychology, etc., going to a smaller college has its advantages because you focus more on your professors and peers as people. Does that make sense?
I hope this helps some!!
2006-07-31 00:41:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I went to a small liberal arts college in PA. I think they are the best because you get alot of individual attention. If that is not your thing I would suggest a medium or larger school because you will have a better social life and the sporting events will mean more. Personally I think you are number at a large school because it is more run like a business. I liked the individual attention and you get to know your professors very well. There are also alot more academically challenging liberal art colleges than there are universities depending on where you are located. Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have the most small colleges to chose from; which are somewhat competitive. Good luck with your search.
2006-07-30 23:11:06 · answer #3 · answered by ALBPACE 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on you, and on what you're looking for.
A large college will have more programs and probably more activities available to you. On the other hand, you can't take part in everything anyway.
At a large college, just getting around campus can be a hassle.
At a large college, since there are more people, there are probably more people that might be potential friends. Meeting these people could be harder since there are so many people, though.
The previous responder who mentioned class size has a very good point.
It really boils down to what type of person you are and what you'd like - neither small nor large is right for everybody.
2006-07-30 19:56:53 · answer #4 · answered by Judy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My college has 12,000 full-time students but it's considered to be second-tier because it doesn't have many professional programs (no medicine, no architecture, etc). When I was a student, I felt that it was a bit cramped and I would have like to be somewhere a bit larger. I'm doing graduate work at a college with closer to 22,000 students and the size is a better fit for me.
2006-07-30 22:03:52 · answer #5 · answered by Jetgirly 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Once you graduate and start working, it doesn't even matter where you went to high school or college. Nobody will care. Believe me. Just go where it's more convinient for you.
2006-07-30 19:37:59 · answer #6 · answered by Art The Wise 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋