Opinion: Going to a small college can be beneficial
January 4, 2021
Going to a smaller college rather than a university can be beneficial for a student. Smaller class sizes can allow for different things that will make the transition from high school to college easier.
Imagine like most, you graduate from a high school with no more than 30 students in each of your classes, you develop more of a personal relationship with classmates and teachers. Then, you are expected to sit in a class that could possibly have upwards of 400 students in it? How can you expect students to change their learning styles so quickly? “With smaller classes, you have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss concepts in more depth. You can easily talk to a professor – who probably knows your name,” in an article posted on the Marymount website author Heather Corley said in ¨With fewer students, the professor can take time to make the class more interactive and find ways to make sure you are learning the material.” This will help the already difficult transition into college life a little easier on the students.
Going to a smaller school might mean a private school or community college; though, some may believe that private schools would be way more expensive. Costs of private schools have been decreasing. According to an article posted by usnews, their annual survey showed the prices of private colleges dropping about five percent for the 2020-2021 school year.
“At first glance, it may look like a small college is more expensive than a large public college but the small, private school also has fewer students which corresponds to more opportunities to financially help the students who really want to go there,” said Corley. With the decreasing tuition and scholarship opportunities, private schools are becoming more accessible to the average household.
A smaller student body not only allows for a more personal connection with the professor, but you also receive more flexibility in scheduling.“Often smaller colleges are more flexible about requirements and give you more leeway to construct programs that meet your individual interests,” author for USA news Jeremy Hyman said. “Some even allow you to design your own majors or don’t have majors at all.” When you go to a small school, you are more than just a number put into a computer program. The time and effort can be put into your education.
