Big School, Small School, or Somewhere in Between?

First, take this quiz to determine which type of school you should go to.

Next, here’s a look at some general info about each school type. You’ll get vastly different experiences at each one, so it’s important to know where you might fit in!

Small colleges usually have less than 5,000 students. They usually have strong advising systems, more personalized learning opportunities, and an intimate college experience. If you want to be in a tightly-knit community and know many people in your class, consider a smaller setting! Stevens, Lafayette, Brandeis, and Colgate are some smaller schools.

Larger schools might give you more variety, though. You might see yourself attending a larger school with lots of research, vibrant sports games, and hundreds of clubs. In this case, a school with tens of thousands of students might be best for you! Rutgers, Penn State, Michigan, Maryland, and NYU are some examples.

However, there’s an “in-between.” You might want the resources of a larger school, but you also may not want to be in a huge crowd of students. Consider a medium-sized school (with 5,000 to 15,000 students) if this feels like you! Ramapo College, TCNJ, Boston College, and Tufts are some medium-sized schools.

Side note: It’s important that you have a balanced list–make sure you’ll be happy at ALL the schools you apply to. They should be good academic, personal, and financial fits for you. The last thing you want to do is to fall in love with a school you have to turn down at the last second.

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