Go Big or Go Home is Not Always the Answer

You've heard it before: bigger is better; go big or go home. These fun phrases apply to many aspects of life, but not always to your choice of college. There are a lot of differences between large and small universities, and these differences are what's going to help you decide on where to attend. When I'm giving tours to prospective students, I usually ask them what other schools they're considering. Many times there will be a great juxtaposition between La Roche and the other colleges they're planning on touring. It's always best to explore your options, and really think about what you want in a college.

There are pros and cons to any college choice, but the most important question you need to ask yourself is: is this the best fit for me? Everything from the professors, to the location, to the average class size, to even the food can be huge (or even deciding) factors to your choice.

Here are my top benefits to attending La Roche, a small Catholic college:

• Small Class Sizes

Most of my classes have about 15 students in them. My largest class ever, an intro Marketing class, had about 30. It's not uncommon for larger universities to have classes with upwards of one hundred students.

• Personal Relationships with Your Professors

Our small class sizes make it really easy to create and sustain relationships with your professors. These relationships have really helped me when I've needed letters of recommendations. I'd recommend making good relationships with professors within your major because you'll have the most classes with them.

• It's Easy to Stand Out

This can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. When you have a dozen students in a class, it's really easy for a professor to notice when you're skipping class, dozing off, and other negative habits. But on the flip side, if you are attentive, participate, and are overall a good student, then it's easy for your professor to remember who you are. This really helps with building those relationships I talked about above.

• Small Campus = Less Walking

Rain, snow, wind, whatever it may be, you won't have to deal with it for very long! Our freshmen dorm is right next to the building where most classes are held. I've timed it and it's about a 30 second walk between those buildings. Plus, it takes about five minutes to get to class on time from your dorm room. This is definitely an underrated perk.

Consider these points the next time you visit a college campus, and think about how you fit into that college. Best of luck,

Kim