Find your perfect college degree
With more than 5,900 degree-granting institutions to choose from, the typical high school senior will have a difficult time selecting the best one! If you’re on this boat, we have you covered!
We will take a closer look at the pros and cons as well as the dos and don’ts of small town colleges and big city colleges. You will also know the personality traits that make you suitable for either one.
General Pros and Cons to Consider
When deciding between small-town colleges and big-city colleges, you should first consider their general advantages and disadvantages. Afterward, you can consider your personality traits in relation to these aspects.
Small Town Colleges
Pros:
- You will enjoy a strong sense of community not only between your classmates and schoolmates, professors, and staff members but also with the local community.
- Your professors can provide individualized attention because of the small class sizes.
- Your accessibility to academic and non-academic resources, such as libraries, community centers, and recreational facilities, will be faster and easier, too. You’re in a small campus and town with nearly everything within walking distance!
- You can enjoy a more affordable cost of living. Your financial aid package may even cover the entire cost of tuition and fees, too.
- You’re less likely to be distracted from your studies while still enjoying a healthy social life.
- You may actually have more campus and community engagement opportunities on and off the campus, such as farmers’ markets, carnivals, and local festivals.
Cons:
- You may be limited by the number of available academic programs, particularly if your career choice has a specialized nature.
- Your opportunities for networking, internships and jobs, as well as for entertainment and recreation and diversity in culture, experiences and perspectives, are limited.
- You can experience social isolation and boredom.
Big City Colleges
Pros:
- Your opportunities for networking, internships and jobs are more diverse, more plentiful and more exciting.
- You will have diverse cultural and social experiences, thanks to the abundance of museums, theaters and concerts, among other entertainment options. Your college experience will be more memorable and meaningful for it.
- You can choose from more academic disciplines, choose from more specializations, and work with more students and professors on research and other projects.
- You can enjoy a wide range of academic and non-academic resources, too, such as libraries, research facilities, and on-campus recreational centers on campus. Your choices in student organizations and sports teams are more varied, too.
- You have the convenience of on-campus and off-campus accommodations, an extensive transportation system, and other city services.
Cons:
- Your cost of living in a big city can be an issue, particularly if you have modest means.
- You will likely experience fierce competition for opportunities in many aspects, from housing to jobs.
- You can be bombarded by distractions that can affect your academic performance.
What Suits You Best In Terms of Personality Traits
If possible, you should take the time to think about your likes and dislikes in particular and your personality traits in general. You may want to write them down, too, so you have a point of comparison between the personality type that prefers a small-town college over a big-city college and vice versa.
You’re More Suitable in Small Town Colleges If You:
- Plan on pursuing a career path that requires a college degree offered by the small-town college of your choice
- Like being part of a local community or living in an on-campus dormitory with a tight-knit community of students
- Prefer peaceful surroundings with a slow pace of life
- Enjoy a tight-knit local community where everybody knows everybody
- Seek more meaningful community connections that come with a strong sense of belongingness
- Value the close personal relationships that can develop in small class sizes
- Benefit from personalized attention from professors and other benefits of small class sizes
- Prefer the lower cost of living in small towns
You’re More Suitable in Big City Colleges If You:
- Plan on pursuing a career path that requires more specialized education and training
- Prefer a large urban campus with modern facilities and amenities, such as libraries with extensive book collections, state-of-the-art laboratories, and an on-campus student recreation center
- Prefer the relative anonymity that large class sizes bring
- Interested in exploring a wide range of career paths
- Seek more extensive and competitive opportunities in networking, internships and jobs
- Thrive in the hustle and bustle of big city life
- Seek diversity in the people you meet, the places you visit, and the memories you make through experiences
- Enjoy the diversity of entertainment and recreational opportunities that big cities offer, as well as their easy access.
- Like to enjoy modern urban amenities, such as elevators, subways and garbage services.
- Want a college experience filled with co-curricular and extracurricular activities, such as sporting events, Greek letter societies, and study-abroad opportunities.
Remember These Do’s and Dont’s, Too!
Keep in mind that these are general dos and don’ts when you’re a student in either a small-town college or a big-city college. You should use common sense and common courtesy when making the most of your college experiences in whatever town or city you’re in.
Small Town Colleges
Do’s:
- Embrace the campus community and the local community by becoming active in its events and activities.
- Support local organizations, including businesses.
- Explore the campus and its surrounding community, including its natural environment where outdoor activities can be enjoyed.
- Build personal and professional relationships with your fellow students, professors and staff members.
- Create fun activities with your friends that will expand your entertainment and recreation opportunities.
Dont’s:
- Underestimate your possible living expenses, transportation needs, and tuition and fees. There are elite small-town colleges, such as Sarah Lawrence College, that charge an arm and a leg in tuition.
- Dismiss the local culture, including its quirks! Learn its history, traditions and customs so you can enjoy the local community and its people more than you expected.
- Isolate yourself.
- Ignore safety precautions because even a small and peaceful town can have dangers lurking around the corner.
Big City Colleges
Do’s:
- Explore the city! Even if your college campus offers plenty of beautiful places for study and play, you must take advantage of the diverse entertainment, food and beverages, and recreation opportunities. Why be in the Big Apple if you can’t take a huge bite off of it?
- Build extensive personal and professional networks on and off the campus. You will find excellent opportunities for internships and entry-level jobs through your networks and, in the future, for your career advancement opportunities.
- Use the on-campus and off-campus resources for your academic and non-academic needs. You may even be able to enjoy freebies if you’re savvy enough.
Dont’s:
- Forget your safety precautions, too. Big cities can be notorious for crime.
- Isolate yourself because you feel overwhelmed by the crowd and choices.
- Dismiss self-care and forget about work-life balance.
- Say “yes” to every invitation (i.e., overcommit yourself).
- Procrastinate on your studies.
Standout Small Town Colleges We Recommend
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont
With its small-town setting, the private liberal arts college offers its students a tight-knit campus community and diverse outdoor activities, from hiking and kayaking to skiing. Students choose from more than 40 undergraduate programs, the most popular of which are economics, computer science, and political science.
The campus is among the safest in the country, thanks to the presence of professional uniformed security officers and other safety features implemented by its Department of Public Safety.
Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina
With just over 2,000 students, Davidson College ensures that its students receive personalized attention, access to excellent resources and services, and diverse academic programs that contribute to their academic and life success.
The private liberal arts college is widely recognized for its economic value, quality of instruction, and community relations, as well as its accessible and safe campus. There are effective campus safety procedures in place and campus security officers on patrol.
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
With its suburban surroundings, Swarthmore College offers its students a beautiful, calm, and peaceful campus! The private liberal arts college only offers undergraduate degrees but allows students to choose from more than 40 fields of study.
The most popular are in economics, biology and computer and information sciences, as well as engineering. Students praise the effectiveness of its campus security system, too, which is supported by public safety agencies.
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts
With the Berkshire Mountains as its backdrop, Williams College offers its students excellent on-campus facilities, amenities and services while also allowing them opportunities for off-campus activities.
Known for its emphasis on academic excellence, dynamic intellectualism, and partnerships with Exeter College, its diverse academic degree programs include economics, English language and literature, and computer science. Students can rely on the 24/7 availability of the Campus Safety Services, too.
What’s Your Choice?
The decision between a small-town college and a big-city college is entirely yours to make! But there’s also no shame in changing your mind, say, from being a student at a big city college and then transferring to a small town college.
For example, students at Swarthmore College can cross-register for classes at the University of Pennsylvania, meaning enjoying the best of both worlds is possible.
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