Small State University VS Big State University

[tennisball80]

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I am just wondering if I am going to attend a big state university then is it going to be difficult to maintain a good GPA ? What I have heard is that the big state universities have more "Smart" students so you have to compete with them. So if you attend a smaller state university, is it going to be easeir to get a GPA because you don'T need to complete with a lot of "smart" students ?

Also, what is the grading system in college ? Absolute scale or relative scale ?

In the absolute scale method, your score is compared to a pre-determined scale, such as A=90-100%; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; etc. This evaluates you based on a pre-determined set of criteria.

In the relative scale your score is evaluated by comparing it to other scores in the class. Thus the relevant issue is not your percent score but your percentilescore.

 

[CluelessAsian]

I am just wondering if I am going to attend a big state university then is it going to be difficult to maintain a good GPA ? What I have heard is that the big state universities have more "Smart" students so you have to compete with them. So if you attend a smaller state university, is it going to be easeir to get a GPA because you don'T need to complete with a lot of "smart" students ?

Actually depends on school.. In california, UCs are supposed to be harder than CSUs. But according to my friend who went to a UC, he says that it's easier than CSU. SO I guess it depends on the school and what your learning type is.

Also, what is the grading system in college ? Absolute scale or relative scale ?

In the absolute scale method, your score is compared to a pre-determined scale, such as A=90-100%; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; etc. This evaluates you based on a pre-determined set of criteria.

In the relative scale your score is evaluated by comparing it to other scores in the class. Thus the relevant issue is not your percent score but your percentilescore.

Both.. Depends on the professor. Some curve grades and some you have to get enough points to achieve a certain grade.

 

[xnfs93hy]

I am just wondering if I am going to attend a big state university then is it going to be difficult to maintain a good GPA ? What I have heard is that the big state universities have more "Smart" students so you have to compete with them. So if you attend a smaller state university, is it going to be easeir to get a GPA because you don'T need to complete with a lot of "smart" students ?

Also, what is the grading system in college ? Absolute scale or relative scale ?

In the absolute scale method, your score is compared to a pre-determined scale, such as A=90-100%; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; etc. This evaluates you based on a pre-determined set of criteria.

In the relative scale your score is evaluated by comparing it to other scores in the class. Thus the relevant issue is not your percent score but your percentilescore.

If I had to choose I would go to a big state school like Ohio State or U of Michigan. In terms of competitiveness you are correct that it will be harder to compete with a large amount of students as opposed to a smaller college but I would still go big just because big state schools usually have more to offer like Ohio State which is a fantastic University, huge, great area, football team is one of the best, etc. Again, this is just my opinion.

In terms of grading I cannot really help you there. My cousin currently goes to UK (University of Kentucky) and they use the absolute scale I think.

 

[ylrebmik]

I think it depends on the school. Larger schools = larger lecture halls. This means that the professors won't know you as well. However, one of my schools had a total population of 700 students and that to me is .... maybe a little TOO small. Also, that school were all people majoring in the same thing I was... so thats very competitive in the sense that you have 700 people going after the same thing, trying to get an edge by being close to professors, etc. I personally like medium sized schools because I think it's more personable than a large set school but more competition overall than a small school... usually more options of things to do in involvement anyways.

But then again.... Large school vs. Small school is one of the first things they tell you to choose in a college. so it depends on the person.

 

[tennisball80]

So basically, are you guys saying it doesnt matter where you do undergrad ?

 

[xnfs93hy]

It depends, but if you plan on going to medical school you should try to get into a GOOD college/univ. preferably one that has a a medical school and/or hospital of their own (Like NYU, Univ. of Kentucky, Vanderbilt) it doesn't have to be Harvard. Some people will tell you it doesn't matter but you still try to get into a halfway decent school that people have heard. I don't think it matters in terms of getting to the top of your graduating class.

 

[ylrebmik]

I don't think it matters. I've been on here for a while and I've listened to vet students say that there is a debate about if going to an ivy league helps or not... but really from what I think and learned... it doesn't matter what school is at the top of your diploma. GRADES are the most important thing... go to a school that will help you SUCCEED. THAT is what a small / large school will depend on. For example, if you succeed academically when you have close relationships with your teachers, one on one interaction, smaller classes, etc... then consider going to a smaller school. Some will disagree but for the most part... I don't think it will matter. If you go to harvard and have a 3.1 compared to a state school with a 3.9... the state school is so much better for you. If you choose a school just because it is more competitive... and doesn't fit right with your "needs" then you won't be as competitive.

 

[elresidante]

Hello. There are several things to do to get into any med school:

1. undergraduate GPA
2. MCAT
3. research
4. volunteer
5. work experience

If you work hard and get a good GPA, you will have research opportunities. Also, if you have some kind of exceptional or different work or volunteer experience, that will help you in the application process as well. MCAT is very important, take the KAPLAN class before you take the test. The size of the college doesn't matter whatsoever - go wherever you feel would be a good fit for you regardless of whether or not they are affiliated with a med school. And remember, everyone and their dog starts off pre-med, but only a small percent go on to complete that goal (meaning most change majors or can't hack it). Good luck!

 

[Electrophile]

I think it depends on the school. Larger schools = larger lecture halls. This means that the professors won't know you as well.

I don't think that's necessarily true. Having done undergrad, grad, and vet school all at Mizzou (which has nearly 30K undergrads), they do a lot so you can make it small if you want. Lots of freshman interest groups, learning communities, the Honors College is fabulous, etc. But if you sit in the last row doing Sudoku during your 500 person psych 1 class or in your dorm room all day feeling sorry for yourself and woe is me about the big class, yeah, you'll feel lost. I know some people who dropped out because they couldn't take that initiative and get to know faculty. So if you need your hand held, maybe not. But I got to know quite a few of the faculty from several departments quite well just by stopping by their office hours and asking about their research and what got them into academia. You know, treat them respectfully and not just as a means to an end to get a LOR. 🙄

Besides, one thing I do know from teaching in grad school is that the professors do in fact recognize faces, especially if you're sitting up close and asking good questions, even in a big class. Undergrads think that there is this big invisible shield that the professors somehow can't see the students text messaging, reading the newspaper, talking with their neighbor, sleeping, etc. in class. I assure you that they can, even if they don't call you out on it. 😉

 

[xnfs93hy]

Hey. I have heard people tell me that it is OK to go to schools like University of Louisville, or University of Kentucky. UK is second teir and Louisville is third. Mizzou is either first or second tier.

I am looking at those schools but looking more towards schools ranked by U.S in the national "Masters" section. The have Villanova University as number one. 'Nova is VERY hard to get into and I would definitely compare it to Penn State, OSU, and other top schools.

The schools I'm looking at on the Nat'l Masters rank list, rank in at around 30-35. One school in particular (it is a decently priced private school, non lib arts.)

It is called Rider University. It is pretty well know and respected around here. It is a good school and has a solid pre medical program. I like it.

http://www.rider.edu/172_2338.htm

Here is the link to their pre med program page.

I just feel like if I go there I would have ZERO shot at a good medical school. Or do I REALLY have as good a shot as anyone?

EDIT: Oh yeah, and it is in New Jersey.

 

[eighty-twenty]

The better the reputation of the school, regardless of size, the less likely you will have to be a the top of your class in order to get into medical school. If you choose to go to a less recognized school, you better be in the top 10% of your class when you apply. Also, the faculty that writes your letters will be likely less known than the faculty from a more reputable school. Pedigree matters.

 

[ButImLETired]

The better the reputation of the school, regardless of size, the less likely you will have to be a the top of your class in order to get into medical school. If you choose to go to a less recognized school, you better be in the top 10% of your class when you apply. Also, the faculty that writes your letters will be likely less known than the faculty from a more reputable school. Pedigree matters.

Well, I'd like to make one caveat to that. While you're a resident and obviously know more about, well, everything, than I do, I think it's important for hSDN people not to get too stuck in the prestige game. Is prestige entirely irrelevant? Of course not. Will it make or break you? Absolutely not. If you're the best in your class at a huge, unknown state school, you'll stand out regardless, as long as your "great equalizer", the MCAT, is on par. If you have a 3.8 from a pretty low-tier school and a low MCAT, they'll wonder at the rigor of your university.
On the other hand, of course top-tier schools open doors. It's easier to work with top faculty people and get good letters, you have more resources (money) from the school to play around with, almost all your classmates were in the top 10% of their high school classes...stuff like that. I went to a top-tier undergrad and at every interview someone said "oh that's a great school!", so I'm sure it played SOME role. However, if you're at the bottom of your class, even at Harvard, you're going to get no slack whatsoever. Don't forget that a lot of the big-name schools are constantly at the center of grade inflation scandals (Harvard and Stanford come to mind) so you're not going to be given that much kudos for a 3.5. On the other hand, a 3.5 from MIT is always going to be extremely impressive.

Moral of the story: don't get stuck in the prestige thing. Get the best grades you can get no matter where you go. A 3.9 will look impressive no matter what. And then rock the MCAT, and you're set! 😀

 

[xnfs93hy]

Well, I'd like to make one caveat to that. While you're a resident and obviously know more about, well, everything, than I do, I think it's important for hSDN people not to get too stuck in the prestige game. Is prestige entirely irrelevant? Of course not. Will it make or break you? Absolutely not. If you're the best in your class at a huge, unknown state school, you'll stand out regardless, as long as your "great equalizer", the MCAT, is on par. If you have a 3.8 from a pretty low-tier school and a low MCAT, they'll wonder at the rigor of your university.
On the other hand, of course top-tier schools open doors. It's easier to work with top faculty people and get good letters, you have more resources (money) from the school to play around with, almost all your classmates were in the top 10% of their high school classes...stuff like that. I went to a top-tier undergrad and at every interview someone said "oh that's a great school!", so I'm sure it played SOME role. However, if you're at the bottom of your class, even at Harvard, you're going to get no slack whatsoever. Don't forget that a lot of the big-name schools are constantly at the center of grade inflation scandals (Harvard and Stanford come to mind) so you're not going to be given that much kudos for a 3.5. On the other hand, a 3.5 from MIT is always going to be extremely impressive.

Moral of the story: don't get stuck in the prestige thing. Get the best grades you can get no matter where you go. A 3.9 will look impressive no matter what. And then rock the MCAT, and you're set! 😀

What about class rank?

 

[RySerr21]

What about class rank?

I havent heard of a school that keeps and/or openly tells there students of a class rank. I feel like if any school is likely to do that, it would be the really small schools that have like 400 people or less per class (like mine) and we dont even do that. Your "rank" is your GPA. There may be schools that do it, but i dont think its that common if it exists at all.

 

[pressmom]

I went to a school with about 5k-6k undergrads. The intro classes were all under 200 people. (It's a BIG med school feeder school.) When you get into the upper level classes it's generally around 30-35 people per class. I liked going to a smaller school. I felt that I got more personal attention and had better opportunities to get involved in what I was interested in. But YMMV. I did some of my pre-reqs post-bacc at a larger university and felt that if I wasn't focused, I probably could've gotten lost in a crowd. Despite what Electrophile said, I think you have to make more of your own opportunites to get to know professors and stand out at a larger university. If you feel you need more hand-holding and smaller classes, it's probably better to go to a smaller school.

 

[Maygyver]

You should go to a school you feel comfortable with. I'm sure you will do fine at a "tougher" big school. If you can get into a good school, I don't see why you wouldn't go. I go to college to actually learn, not just get easy As.

 

[SlaskWroclaw18]

I have a question? If you go to a big state university then how do get close to your professors especially in a large class? Visit during office hours, be active in class, what else?

 

[Maygyver]

I have a question? If you go to a big state university then how do get close to your professors especially in a large class? Visit during office hours, be active in class, what else?

There's your answer.

 

[tennisball80]

I have a question? If you go to a big state university then how do get close to your professors especially in a large class? Visit during office hours, be active in class, what else?

Bribing.

 

[swim2006]

There are great large schools and great small schools. I have friends in med school that have gone to undergrads I have never heard of but are apparently highly respected. I think whichever you choose should be that one you think you will be happiest at because when you are happier with your decision you will be more likely to succeed. Med schools don't care which major you choose as long as you do the pre-reqs so go somewhere that has a program/major that you are interested in and that you like. And don't forget that even if you are in a small size class you will still have to participate in discussions and be prepared for classes. Even in my classes with 35 or fewer students I still went to office hours because I was not the type to participate in in-class discussions.

 

[DrYoda]

I have a question? If you go to a big state university then how do get close to your professors especially in a large class? Visit during office hours, be active in class, what else?

You actually will have some smaller classes even at a big college. Not as many as them of course, but the giant 600 person classes are almost exclusevely gen-ed or pre-something requirements. Upper level class specifically will be much more get to know prof-friendly sizes.

I just feel like if I go there I would have ZERO shot at a good medical school. Or do I REALLY have as good a shot as anyone?

While prestige has it's merits, there are other things that matter much more. You are the primary factor in which schools you get into. The school you attend will not kill your chances at a good med school.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Yes, I would shoot for a powerful private school or a large public school. I think that a large public school like OSU has just as many opportunities as a smaller private school. They just get all their money from huge numbers of incoming students, rather than from donors 🙂. Seriously though, there are plenty of heavy duty pre-meds from big public schools on SDN with acceptances to Johns Hopkins, Wash U, etc. As someone who attended one of the larges Universities in the country, I would say that I didn't really have that much trouble getting to know profs. I mean, despite some of my classes having 100+ students in them, office hours were pretty empty. Being active in class, asking questions relevant to the topic but not necessarily in the scope of the class (in office hours not in class), will make it pretty easy to get to know your profs. I mean, you really only need three academic letters, 2 science and a non-science, plus a couple others. It really isn't THAT get them, considering how many professors you will be taking courses with.

 

[Terpskins99]

If I had to choose I would go to a big state school like Ohio State or U of Michigan. In terms of competitiveness you are correct that it will be harder to compete with a large amount of students as opposed to a smaller college but I would still go big just because big state schools usually have more to offer like Ohio State which is a fantastic University, huge, great area, football team is one of the best, etc. Again, this is just my opinion.

In terms of grading I cannot really help you there. My cousin currently goes to UK (University of Kentucky) and they use the absolute scale I think.

Well, the opposite is just as true. You have a lot more stupid students to help cushion your grades too.

But yeah, unless you absolutely despise being at a big school, I wholeheartedly recommend going to a large university. Outside of all the additional resources available (research opportunities, clubs/organizations), I just think you'll have more fun. And if you're one of those quirky types that only gets along with a certain group of folks... well, you WILL find plenty of kindred spirits to hang around with at a bigger school. You'll find your niche. At a smaller school, the chances of doing so are much slimmer.

 

[Algophiliac]

Well, the opposite is just as true. You have a lot more stupid students to help cushion your grades too.

But yeah, unless you absolutely despise being at a big school, I wholeheartedly recommend going to a large university. Outside of all the additional resources available (research opportunities, clubs/organizations), I just think you'll have more fun. And if you're one of those quirky types that only gets along with a certain group of folks... well, you WILL find plenty of kindred spirits to hang around with at a bigger school. You'll find your niche. At a smaller school, the chances of doing so are much slimmer.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Larger schools also seem to have fewer restrictions and a considerable amount of experience in sending students to graduate/medical schools.

Also, are small classes really that great? In large classes, you can skip without being caught, sleep in the back of the room, and chat with friends. Or, if you want to learn, just sit in the front row. If you want to ask questions, go to office hours. In my opinion, it's much easier to stand out positively in larger classrooms.

 

[RySerr21]

This is exactly what I was thinking. Larger schools also seem to have fewer restrictions and a considerable amount of experience in sending students to graduate/medical schools.

Also, are small classes really that great? In large classes, you can skip without being caught, sleep in the back of the room, and chat with friends. Or, if you want to learn, just sit in the front row. If you want to ask questions, go to office hours. In my opinion, it's much easier to stand out positively in larger classrooms.

Exactly. If you are a slacker, then dont go to a small school. If you are looking to blend in with the crowd, be an anonymous student in the back of the room, never go to class, and not actively participate in course discussion, then go to a large school because it will be much more likely that you will be able to do that. At my small school, a lot of the humanities courses consider attendance/participation in to your final grade. Lecture is an integral part of the learning process. The only reason it would be "much" easier to stand out positively in a large classroom is becuase you have MORE people like you just described....lazy, uninterested in the lecture, skipping class, etc. Great, congrats on capitalizing on other peoples lack of interest to learn. At a small school (where ive never had a class larger than 40 people), it might be "harder" to stand out because most of the people are going to be attending class, asking questions, and trying to do well in the course. But IMO that makes for a better learning expereince all together. It challenges me to work harder, to learn more, and to be a better student and I'm also surrounded by people that have a passion for learning similar to mine. I think going to a small school has played a HUGE factor in my success durding college and in the medical school admissions process. I had the choice of going to my current school (1800 students) and USC (i dont konw exactly but im guessing like 30K+). I think its one of the best decisions ive made in my life. But again, this is all dependent on what type of learner you are. Only you can decide whether or not you will enjoy being in a small school environment.

And i'm not sure what "restrictions" you are referring to so I'm curious to hear your explanation. I go to a school with 1800 students and have had ZERO restrictions (whatever that means) whatsoever. And to suggest that small schools dont have expereince sending students to graduate programs/medical schools is ridiculous. Both of those statemments lead me to believe that you have NO idea what you are talking about and that you are commenting on a situation that you have NO experience with.

 

[Algophiliac]

But IMO that makes for a better learning expereince all together. It challenges me to work harder, to learn more, and to be a better student and I'm also surrounded by people that have a passion for learning similar to mine. I think going to a small school has played a HUGE factor in my success durding college and in the medical school admissions process. I had the choice of going to my current school (1800 students) and USC (i dont konw exactly but im guessing like 30K+). I think its one of the best decisions ive made in my life. But again, this is all dependent on what type of learner you are. Only you can decide whether or not you will enjoy being in a small school environment.

And i'm not sure what "restrictions" you are referring to so I'm curious to hear your explanation. I go to a school with 1800 students and have had ZERO restrictions (whatever that means) whatsoever. And to suggest that small schools dont have expereince sending students to graduate programs/medical schools is ridiculous. Both of those statemments lead me to believe that you have NO idea what you are talking about and that you are commenting on a situation that you have NO experience with.

The "restrictions" I was referring to are less research funding, fewer clubs, required attendance, and more accountability for your actions. You're right, being a high school student, I have little to no experience and can only speak on a theoretical basis. If I'm wrong, educate me. 🙄 Actually, I'm really only speaking for the two well-known state schools in my own state, so I'm most likely overgeneralizing.

My high school has 2500 students, and this is just a grade 11 through 12 school. For some reason, I despise the hand-holding and badgering that was still possible in this environment. Perhaps I am simply a very independent person and thus my views clash with your own. The thought of getting lost in a large school simply sounds more appealing, but what do I know...

 

[RySerr21]

The "restrictions" I was referring to are less research funding, fewer clubs, required attendance, and more accountability for your actions. You're right, being a high school student, I have little to no experience and can only speak on a theoretical basis. If I'm wrong, educate me. 🙄 Actually, I'm really only speaking for the two well-known state schools in my own state, so I'm most likely overgeneralizing.

My high school has 2500 students, and this is just a grade 11 through 12 school. For some reason, I despise the hand-holding and badgering that was still possible in this environment. Perhaps I am simply a very independent person and thus my views clash with your own. The thought of getting lost in a large school simply sounds more appealing, but what do I know...

Yea, like I said, its all dependent on what you enjoy. A small school definitely is not for everyone and it sounds like you know you would be happier at a large school. That also doesnt mean that you need to be one of those lazy students who doesnt ever go to class, doesnt participate, etc. Oh and please dont ever fall asleep in a college course. No one is making you attend, so it was really just a waste of your time. You coulda been sleeping in your own bed, or doing something more exciting.

As far as restrictions...sure a small school is not likely to have as much as research funding as a large, public, research oriented university...but that doesnt there are no research opportunitiies. Ive had the opportunity to do research all 4 years, and I konw others who have done so. Each year we have a number of students presenting at national research conferences, and each summer we have a 10 week research program. All of the professors are doing research, and there is always an opportunty to be involved. Fewer clubs? Sure, I guess. But what are you gonna join every club on your campus? And if there isnt a club that you want to be involved with, then MAKE IT! Honestly I haven ever been dissapoitned with the clubs that are offered at my school. What kinda clubs are you interested in? Required attendance.... professros aren't stupid. THey know people skip class, and yes even at a small school you can skip clas sif you wanted. For that reason, ive never had a professor say "you must attend every single class or your grade suffers." But unlike at a large public school, I would say that the professors do expect you to come to class and participate. If you are not interested in doing that, well there are probably 25 other people in your class that DO enjoy doing that and as a consequence you will be in theri shadow. If thats not your thing, then a small school probably isnt for you. Accountability for your actions? Sorry dude, you are considered an adult now. You are responsible for your actions.

 

[Algophiliac]

Yea, like I said, its all dependent on what you enjoy. A small school definitely is not for everyone and it sounds like you know you would be happier at a large school. That also doesnt mean that you need to be one of those lazy students who doesnt ever go to class, doesnt participate, etc. Oh and please dont ever fall asleep in a college course. No one is making you attend, so it was really just a waste of your time. You coulda been sleeping in your own bed, or doing something more exciting.

As far as restrictions...sure a small school is not likely to have as much as research funding as a large, public, research oriented university...but that doesnt there are no research opportunitiies. Ive had the opportunity to do research all 4 years, and I konw others who have done so. Each year we have a number of students presenting at national research conferences, and each summer we have a 10 week research program. All of the professors are doing research, and there is always an opportunty to be involved. Fewer clubs? Sure, I guess. But what are you gonna join every club on your campus? And if there isnt a club that you want to be involved with, then MAKE IT! Honestly I haven ever been dissapoitned with the clubs that are offered at my school. What kinda clubs are you interested in? Required attendance.... professros aren't stupid. THey know people skip class, and yes even at a small school you can skip clas sif you wanted. For that reason, ive never had a professor say "you must attend every single class or your grade suffers." But unlike at a large public school, I would say that the professors do expect you to come to class and participate. If you are not interested in doing that, well there are probably 25 other people in your class that DO enjoy doing that and as a consequence you will be in theri shadow. If thats not your thing, then a small school probably isnt for you. Accountability for your actions? Sorry dude, you are considered an adult now. You are responsible for your actions.

I don't plan on missing a single lecture, but after an (rare, of course) all-nighter, sometimes the options are sit drowsily in class or skip. Neither of those would look too great at a small school (not to mention the professor might be insulted by sleepy students, when I'm not really trying to be rude! 🙁), while at a large school, you'd be lucky if someone cared. This is basically what I mean by accountability. I am not trying to find an easy way out. I am attending college to learn as much as I possibly can!

Wow, I looked at your ECs and am still blinking out the bright stars in my vision. 😱 Honestly, I had no idea there were that many opportunities available at a smaller school. Really, I simply noticed greater club involvement and research participation at a larger school. For example, my chemistry club in high school has 25 members...versus the 3500 members at one of the colleges I'm observing. There are also larger club varieties, from various sub-categories of film and philosophy to Indian dance! And I'm too shy to strut in and form a club.

Just curious, but what would you say are the main benefits of attending a smaller state school? Aside from small classes, of course.

 

[RySerr21]

I don't plan on missing a single lecture, but after an (rare, of course) all-nighter, sometimes the options are sit drowsily in class or skip. Neither of those would look too great at a small school (not to mention the professor might be insulted by sleepy students, when I'm not really trying to be rude! 🙁), while at a large school, you'd be lucky if someone cared. This is basically what I mean by accountability. I am not trying to find an easy way out. I am attending college to learn as much as I possibly can!

Wow, I looked at your ECs and am still blinking out the bright stars in my vision. 😱 Honestly, I had no idea there were that many opportunities available at a smaller school. Really, I simply noticed greater club involvement and research participation at a larger school. For example, my chemistry club in high school has 25 members...versus the 3500 members at one of the colleges I'm observing. There are also larger club varieties, from various sub-categories of film and philosophy to Indian dance! And I'm too shy to strut in and form a club.

Just curious, but what would you say are the main benefits of attending a smaller state school? Aside from small classes, of course.

I konw this isnt true for a lot of people, but all nighters are very rare for me. Ive only done one in my entire college career and its b/c it was a pass/fail paper that was due at the end of the semester and I didnt start writing til AFTER my other fiinals were all done, which meant I had one night to do it. If you dont procastinate, stay on top of your work, and study dilligently, you should have very few (if any) all nighters. IMO its better to be consistently busy (working a little each day) than to goof around for 3 weeks and then be miserable for 4 days while you work non stop day and night. Thats just not quality work, and you could have done much better if you had just planned accordingly. That being said, I know people that are freaks of nature and they manage to get As with the strategy I just dissed on. So, to each their own.

Regarding my ECs, its just proof that college is what you make of it. It doesnt matter where you go, there will be opportunities to get involved, its UP TO YOU to do them or not. I was eager to get involved, I sought out things I thought i would be interested in, and I did some pretty cool stuff. You will see other people from my school who havent done nearly as many things and others that may have done even more. It really is whatever you make of it.

As far as benefits of going to a small school, i could talk forever about why it was the best decision for ME. Choosing a school is a very individual and personal decision. Its something you should put a lot of thought in to, and I would pay the MOST attention to how YOU feel. What do YOU like? How do YOU learn? What kidn of environment do YOU want to be in? I might not have the same priorities as you do, so a place that I love might be a place that you hate, you konw? That being said, I think the main benefit is the type of education that you will receive. there are things that will happen at a small school that really aren't possible at a large school, or at least aren't as easy to obtain. One thing is the relationsihhps you will build with your professors. I dont care what anyone says, "going to office hours" at a large school is not going to be the same. How often does a professor have office hours? Two or three times a week? How much of a relationship are you going to be able to build? I doubt you will go there EVERY single available time, no one has that many questions and the reality is that people dont generally ask questions until they need to (ie the week before the test). In contrast, at a small school, all of my professors know me by name, often times by the first week of school. Its just a different type of environment. I'm having conversations with my professors 3-4 days a week at the least, thats outside of office hours, during class, walking through the quad, things like that. This matters, because if you have professors during multiple semesters, you are really able to build a relationship. This is going ot matter when it comes to askign for LORs. Its not just going to be "This person did well in my class." You know? My professors know me very well, and I have no doubt that my LORs were one of the strongest aspects of my application. In contrats to friends I have at larger schools, a common complaint I hear is "I dont konw who I should ask for an LOR? I had a science professor I had a year ago but I havent seen him sense and I dont know if he remembers me? Who do I ask?" I can honestly say that I could ask for a LOR from EVERY professor that I have ever had. I had no problems getting LORs and I was able to pick and choose who I thought would write me a great LOR.

Another advantage I see in small schools compared to large public schools is the professors. If you go to a large public school, like you mentioned, they are probably going to have a lot of funding for research. What does that mean? The university is going to be hiring professors who are interested in RESEARCH, not TEACHING. This is HUUUUGE. A lot of the times professors aren't interested in teaching, they are only interseted in their research. And theres nothing wrong with being interested in research, but the students suffer. These professors often arent very helpful outside of class, are NOT good teachers, and are generally unpleasant to be around. I dunno about you, but I want to be taught by someone who LOVES to teach and most importantly by someone who is good at it. At my small school, they hire professors who have their priorities set like this....Their first priority is TEACHING. Its all for the students. The professors at my school will give anything to help and see their students succeed. A DISTANT 2nd place is research. Most if not all of the professors are doing research, and their are opportunities for students to assit, but its not their number one priority. They are getting paid to teach, not to do research. My professors are accessible all of the time, literally. Ive had professors come on to campus on the weekend before a Monday test to hold a study session for the class. How often do you think that happens in a class with 500+ people? Probably very rarely, and the only reason i say is rarely is b/c someone will reply "well i had a class with 800 students and the professor held a study group on a weekend." Great, thats one example. In all likelihood, something like that would NEVER happen. And this is all generally speaking. You will find some AMAZING professors at large public universities, I dont doubt that. And you will find some professors at small schools that only care about their research. I had a physics professor that fits that description. He didnt give a **** about his students, all he cared about was his research. He was hated by students. He simply wastn good at teaching and he didnt care. So why be at a small school like that? Go to a large public university or a heavily research oriented school. Make everyone happy.

Holy **** thats a long post..haha. I could seriously talk forever. Ill reiterate what I said in the beginning......this decision is all about YOU.

 

[HolyGrail]

Having transferred from a "small" state university to a "big" state university, I would recommend that you go to a small state university.

One of the big differences for me was that professors are more likely to take a vested interest in their students, whereas at a larger school, they are more worried about their research than making sure they are good educators. I could really go on at length, but I'm sure you're just looking for quick opinions...

As for the other question about relative grading, it's been my experience that it will typically depend on the class/professor.

 

[Terpskins99]

Having transferred from a "small" state university to a "big" state university, I would recommend that you go to a small state university.

One of the big differences for me was that professors are more likely to take a vested interest in their students, whereas at a larger school, they are more worried about their research than making sure they are good educators. I could really go on at length, but I'm sure you're just looking for quick opinions...

As for the other question about relative grading, it's been my experience that it will typically depend on the class/professor.

That is a HUGE generalization. The truth is, it depends on the professor. Big school or small.

I will say this, if you go to a school with very large classes then you the student need to make more of an effort to get known to the professor. That means coming to office hours, talking to the professor after class, inquiring about research projects. Its just common sense.

 

[Maygyver]

Also, you should be more concerned with if the school has a good reputation. The size of the school is just something you need to figure out for yourself. Your comment of a big school having more smart people, etc is kind of silly because a small school will have the same % of smart people. You seem to think that big schools are for smarter people. There are big schools that are hard to get into and there are big schools that are easy to get into. The same goes for small schools. Go on a school visit and find where you fit it. The intellect of the students there will depend not on how big the school is but how hard it is to get in.