what are the advantages of going to a big school?

Question

I know all of the disadvantages, and I'm starting to have doubts about the college i chose. There are about 10,000 undergrads.. its huuuge.

any advantages to this?

Answer 1

Well, there are lots of advantages.

1. Larger variety of courses offered; more variety for majors/minors.

2. Professors who do cutting-edge research; often well-known professors (within their fields) whose recommendations will eventually take you a far way.

3. The opportunity to meet new and interesting people everyday, from all over the globe.

4. Lots of different clubs and organizations to choose from.

5. Great facilities (ie., gardens, study spaces, libraries, pools, etc.)

6. Sophisticated labs

7. Often, big universities are located in or near large cities, so you'll have access to nightlife and culture - stuff that will give you a needed break from the academic cycle.

I also go to huge university, and it can sometimes feel lonely, as crowded as it is, so I understand your concerns. But, ultimately, I would choose the school that appeals to my personality the most, and where I feel I'll flourish as a student and as a person.

For instance, I would check out the course calendar in my particular discipline (to see the variety of courses - some schools offer very few interesting courses, whereas others will offer so many you won't know how to choose!), and I would research some of the profs in my department (to see what their interests are and if they match up to mine).

I'd also research clubs and find out how many of them I'd actually consider joining. For instance, there may be 15 chess clubs, but no photgraphy clubs. (For example).

I'd also pay attention to how I learn best. For instance, if you are a person who learns best in small classes, with lots of discussion and personalized attention from the profs, then perhaps a smaller university is the better option for you. Because, as someone else has noted, you may not even get to have the professors teach you in the 1st and 2nd year levels. The TA's do most of the teaching and often (in my experience), they're not very good because they're just so new.

But if you are the type of person who finds it easy and FUN to go out of your way to create your own college experience as you want it (because, that's what you'll have to do in a large university - there's no hand-holding), then you may enjoy the challenge of being in a bigger university. It may force you to grow up and learn to be independent.

Talk to a lot of people, ask a lot of questions, visit the campuses you're interested in, and make your choice based on where you feel you'll learn the best and where you feel you'll have the most enriching experience, overall. Remember, too, that it doesn't really matter where you complete your undergraduate work (in terms of grad school, and the working world); what really matters is the grades you produce and how much you feel you have learned in the end.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

Answer 2

I prefer a big school, I chose Univ. of Arizona which has 37,000 students and the campus is pretty big, but I like the big atmosphere and the city life. I have lived in a small town all of my life and I wanted to try something new.
The school has a whole bunch of amenities on campus such as a barber, book store, grocery store, movie theater, etc. There really is no need for me to leave campus. The bigger schools usually offer more in the way of academics. I am not trying to generalize, that is just what I have noticed. Depending on your major, the school size will probably change, however I don't think 10,000 will be that big after a while.

Answer 3

Probably the biggest advantage of a large university (and 10,000 is only medium sized: large is closer to 25,000 minimum) is the variety of majors and minors offered, and many large universities also attract quite a bit of research dollars, which can help support programs. On the downside, it's possible to attend a large university as an undergrad and never have a professor as an instructor. Many large universities have to rely on graduate teaching assistants to cover lower level classes. Also, many professors at large universities don't have the chance to get to know their students well. If you are a self-motivator and think you won't need to meet with your instructors, a large university will work for you. But if you want instructors who have the time to sit down with you and explain problems with your papers, offer advice, etc., a small-to-medium university is better.

Answer 4

There are definately advantages to going to a large school. First of all, big schools usually offer a bigger variety of classes and majors. Also, for the most party, large schools have good sports and extra curricular programs. Even though you might not be participating in the sports, its exciting to be able to get tickets and go the events.Another advantage is that big schools usually have widely known reputations - which is very helpful when trying to get a job after graduation or applying for grad schools.

I attended a large university and I can tell you first hand that after being there for one semester, the campus and school feel alot smaller than youd think. You get to know the areas really well and see people you know everywhere.

Answer 5

As someone who is planning on transferring from a small school to a large state school, there are a number of advantages. There are more things to do on campus. There are also waaaay more people to meet. Also, the Profs. are able to specialize in one specific area so they really know what they're talking about.

Answer 6

10k? thats not too big
I goto a place with about 26k undergrads and my classes are reasonably sized
an advantage of a big school is there are more options as far as majors and activities to be involved in

Answer 7

big parties and soritys