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Perhaps for many students, including myself, this is one of the big questions they must deal with when determining which university to attend.  Do I go to a big college or a small college?

I go to a small university, a branch of the IU Bloomington campus.  Last year I wrote a post where I suggested that a small university is really beneficial, and that I had no regrets for attending a small local university.  However, I now have a slight change in opinion.  So if you are trying to determine if you want to attend a small or big university, maybe this post can help you out.

*Note – I do not attend or have never attended a large university.  My knowledge I have of large universities consists of things my friends have told me, generalizations, and research.

The Big University – Pros

More Courses - Big universities have a lot more choices when it comes to courses.  A quick comparison of my university and IU Bloomington shows that IU Bloomington has 30 more economics courses than my university.

More/Better Research Facilities -Bigger university equals more money, which equals more research facilities.  When you are getting a degree in the sciences the amount of research facilities available to you is very important.  If you are an English major there is not much need for a high tech chemistry lab.

Greater Diversity – I believe this is one of the reasons why I am beginning to regret not going to a larger university.  At my university there lacks diversity of all kinds; lack of religious diversity, lack of ethnic diversity, and lack of diversity in interests.  Now I am not saying that my university is filled 100% with white Anglo Saxon Protestants.  It’s just not the melting pot I wish it was.

If you are wondering what a course at a big university feels like.  Watch the first few minutes of this introduction lecture at MIT.  And yes he did say 6 TA’s.

The Small University – Cons

Too Many People Work – My university is actually considered a commuter college.  Many students will come to campus to go to class then are off campus 10 minutes after class.  While I understand the reasons that the students must leave campus — to work and work some more  –  but it really destroys the sense of community that a university should have.

Grade Inflation - While I do not have any evidence for this, I feel that at my university there is extreme hyper grade inflation.  It seems that any one that does the work will get an A in the course, even if the student does not understand the material.  While I do advocate that universities put less emphasis on grades, but rather comprehension.  I believe the grade inflation that many universities see is due to political/business ambitions and not educational reasons.

That is it

Yes, those are the only reasons that I am currently pro big university and anti small university.  Realistically, the choice will always be one that a student must make for his or her self.  No matter what size university you attend it will always be your responsibility to make the most of it.

It is your Responsibility –

If you don’t mind things like lack of diversity, I believe a small university can offer more benefits.  However, it is solely your responsibility to create opportunities.  Take for example the minimal course selection at a small university.  You can deal with this issue by inventing your own course.  Some degrees offer you a course titled Readings in ______.  The great thing about these courses is you get to make up your own course (with some help from a professor) on virtually any topic.

What about the issue of lack of diversity.  How could you do this?  Well get out and do something. Perhaps your university lacks diversity, but I doubt the city right next to it does too.  Usually small universities lack cool events.  So you may need to go to the nearby city for those cool events, and there you can meet interesting people.

Which to choose?

I know, you are probably wanting me to tell you to go to a big university or a small university.  However, I am still not 100% sure if I would have been better off attending a larger university.  If  you are trying to decide for yourself, try to get as many opinions as you can and then compare those opinions to your own values and goals.  And make a decision.