Sizing Up Colleges: Big vs. Small

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One Size Does Not Fit All

As your child begins searching for that perfect college, one of the first key decisions to make—and one that will help narrow the list—the size of the school. Luckily, American colleges offer an endless menu of options, from tiny colleges with less than 1,000 students to large state universities with more than 35,000 students. Though each has its strengths and weaknesses, finding a good match depends heavily on your child's personality and academic goals.

Keep reading to get an idea of how your child might fare at both big and small colleges.

The Big School Experience

Does your child want to attend a Big Ten school that offers everything from televised sporting events to countless degree programs? Do you feel your child would benefit from the life experiences only a big school can offer? If your child is itching to break free of the high school fishbowl and would welcome the opportunity of anonymity that comes with being one of thousands of students, then a big university may be the right choice.

The chart below shows you possible pros and cons associated with some big schools. Keep in mind though, these may not be true of all large colleges.

The Big University: Pros & Cons
Pros	Cons
Wide variety of majors and courses Well-stocked libraries Variety of housing opportunities Well-funded sports programs Wide range of academic and social opportunities Distinguished or famous faculty	Large class sizes Many courses taught by teaching assistants, not professors Professors focused on their own research and graduate thesis projects—little student-teacher interaction Pressure on students to take initiative; to be go-getters More rules and procedures related to enrolling in and designing course study—red tape Potential of getting lost in the crowd

Beth Finkelstein, University of Michigan, Class of '91, had many reasons for wanting to attend a big university. "After four years in a small high school with no football team, I was excited about going to a huge university that offers endless opportunities both socially and academically. The whole rah-rah school spirit attitude was something I was looking for."

Research Facilities

Another big draw for Beth was the research facilities that a huge school like Michigan has to offer, "I knew I was interested in social sciences, but not sure exactly what area. At Michigan, I was able to work side-by-side with graduate students, assisting in their research, and getting exposure to a variety of social science fields. It was while working on a research project at a lab school that I discovered my passion for education and teaching."

Who's Teaching: the Professor or the TA?

Big universities clearly have many benefits as described above, but there are also a few drawbacks. For example, while your child may enroll in a course with a professor who is well known in his or her field, more often than not the course will be mostly taught by teaching assistants (TAs). The more distinguished professors are often focused on conducting research, publishing their work, and overseeing graduate thesis projects. If your child is considering a large university, be sure to find out what percentages of the classes are taught by TAs.

Cutting Through the Red Tape

Another consideration is the red tape associated with big school administrations. Though large universities offer countless courses, it may not be easy for your child to get into any course. A psychology major, for example, who wants to take a business course may have to get a half a dozen signatures or more to get into the class. Again, when visiting the school, remind your child to ask what is required to take courses outside of one's major.

Class Size

Finally, while huge class sizes may be exciting for some, they can be overwhelming for others. Big school introductory classes sometimes include hundreds of students, making it an intimidating environment to ask a question, and all too easy to fall asleep, unnoticed, in the back of a lecture hall. You know your child better than anyone. If you think this could be a problem, put up a red flag.

To succeed at a big school, it's best for students to go in knowing generally the area they're interested in pursuing. Perhaps most importantly, your child should understand that it is the go-getter type, who is not shy to speak up, that will get the most out of all a big school has to offer.

The Small College Experience

Is your child the type who thrives in classes with small-group discussions where active participation and hands-on learning take priority? Then your child might want to consider a small college.

The chart below shows you possible pros and cons associated with some small colleges. Keep in mind, though, these may not be true of all small colleges.

The Small College: Pros & Cons
Pros	Cons
Small class sizes Hands-on learning opportunities Individually-designed majors Strong advising system; advisors know students very well Strong sense of community Professors, not graduate students, teach most courses Opportunity to get to know professors well	Limited housing options Fewer majors to choose from Fewer physical resources Smaller libraries Fewer entertainment and social opportunities Less emphasis on sports programs

Designing a Major

Jordan Brown, an alumnus of Oberlin College, a liberal arts school in Ohio, decided on a small school education so that he could pursue a long-time passion—humor.

"Oberlin turned an interest of mine into a rich, diversified experience. Having the opportunity to create my own major and curriculum (An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Humor: What's So Funny?) was as much part of the learning experience as the actual courses. It enabled me to pursue something that really motivates me and to find ways to connect it to other areas of learning. I could not have easily done this at a big university."

Knowing Professors

Academics are one of the main reasons to consider a small college. Unlike large universities, small school courses are generally taught by actual professors, not teaching assistants. In most cases, the professors may even know your child's name and areas of interest. Small colleges are usually able to meet your child's unique interests and needs. In contrast to most big universities, smaller schools encourage students to explore areas outside of their field of study.

Facilities and Research

There are, however, a few drawbacks to small colleges. Small schools tend not to have the types of research facilities of large universities, nor do they provide opportunities to assist graduate students in their research. If your child is considering a small school, and is interested in working as a research assistant, encourage your child to find out what kind of research work and facilities the school has to offer, and if there is a graduate school.

Social Life

While small colleges often provide a strong sense of community, the environment also makes it more difficult for students to move in and out of social groups as they would in a school with thousands of classmates. When you and your child visit a small school, be sure to talk to students to find out what the social life is like, and what types of extracurricular activities there are.

Small colleges are a perfect match for those who do well in small group environments, are stimulated by a high level of student-teacher interaction, and who are interested in pursuing creative, individual majors focusing in on specific areas of interest.

Start the Search

Whether your child is considering a big university, a small college, or something in between, you should both carefully look at all perspectives, and determine what's most important to your child's needs, interests, and goals. Use College Search's to find colleges with specific characteristics.