It’s April, which for many high school seniors, means college decision day is coming in less than a month. This can be both a stressful and exciting time (this year a lot more stressful than it should be, and I’m so sorry about that). If you’re anything like me, you left your college decision to the last minute. Between my junior and senior year of high school, I toured exactly 17 colleges. When looking for colleges, I knew I wanted a school in a city with a good communications program, but was also affordable. Believe it or not, this was actually a lot harder to find than you would think. But finally, by March, I narrowed it down to two great schools; Manhattan College, the school I picked, and Temple University in Philadelphia. It was a really hard decision for me, but in the end, one big reason that I picked Manhattan over Temple is because of the size. Manhattan is a pretty small school with only about 4,000 students, in contrast to Temple which has about 30,000 students. When I look back on it, choosing Manhattan was really what was best for me– largely because of the tight-knit community. I went to a small high school and knew just about everyone, which is something I hoped to find in college. Going to a small school isn’t for everybody, but I definitely think there are some reasons to consider it. So, here are some more reasons why I love going to a small school:
Small Class Sizes
At Manhattan, the largest class size I’ve had is 30. For my major, and a lot of my classes, some of them have been smaller than 10. This allows me to pay attention, ask questions and never feel like I’m falling behind. I know my professors and my classmates on a personal level, and feel comfortable with them. I personally could never imagine going to a giant school where the lecture halls have 200 people in them!
More Leadership and Involvement Opportunities
Because many of the clubs and extracurriculars have fewer students in them than larger schools, I’ve been more involved and have had more leadership opportunities. More people know who I am, and I have the ability to let my voice be heard. For example, my chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America has about 20 people in it, while most chapters at big schools have up to 100. I have been on the executive board since freshman year, and this has highly impacted my time in college. These clubs and positions have also been great resume boosters!!
More Opportunities to Make Connections
No matter what college you go to, you’ll be told that making connections is important. I find it much easier to do this at a small school. Once again, if professors know your name, they can recommend you for an internship or research opportunity. This is also true when meeting upperclassmen around campus and in clubs, as well as people from the career center.
Easier to Make Friends
I found it easier to meet people at Manhattan due to the small class, club and campus size. I was participating in clubs with the same people I was taking classes with, and got to know them better, which definitely helped my transition to college. Plus, you can meet people through a friend of a friend, and you will see them on campus again, unlike a big school where you just never know who you’ll see again.
You’ll Always See A Friendly Face:
Even the employees at Dunkin Donuts know my name and my order– it’s the little things like that! Whether it’s in the dining hall, at the gym or in the library, you will always see someone you know. This gives me a feeling of comfort and makes me smile.
There are so many benefits of going to a small school. I hope some of the reasons why I love Manhattan encourage you to enroll! Go Jaspers!