Perks of a Small College

Hi everyone and Happy Saturday!! This was my first full week at my new job and I have been loving every second of it! I will be sharing a life update soon, but I first wanted to share something else I have a passion for ... small colleges!!

You may be thinking to yourself, that's a random passion to have ... but its something that I truly do believe in! Attending a small college or university can give you a ton of great opportunities that you may not think they'd offer .... but don't worry they do. Today I am sharing all of those wonderful aspects of life at a small college that may help you decide to visit or even enroll at one!

First things, something I hear A LOT is this, "well, I go to a large high school now and I just don't think I would do well at a small college," or this, "my school is so small, the last thing I want is to be in high school again." While these may be accurate, you need to think about the scales and ranges of these places. A large high school (in my opinion) is like 300+ students within a grade level. A small college is usually 350-700 students within a year level. So, think, if you're perfect for your environment of 400 students, you would probably be just as perfect for that university with 500 Freshmen.

You may also be thinking, "I want a lot of opportunities for courses and clubs." Believe it or not, the size of college does not impact the number of opportunities for courses or clubs, it is the environment and culture that does that. Do your research because oftentimes smaller colleges will allow you to create a club (and get funding for field trips) if you and your friends can prove that people would want to join it. Your freedom to do this at a large university may be stifled by the number of organizations already present. As for the courses, one thing about liberal arts colleges (which are usually on the smaller size), they have to offer a bunch of varied courses because students need to fulfill distribution requirements that don't overlap, ie: the psychology of dreams, the history of quilting, or the art of fermentation and distillation.

Another perk of attending a small college is that you really get to know your professors because they are the ones who teach. In larger universities, it is oftentimes graduate students or teaching assistants that will teach classes and then the full professor may just pop in every few classes to make sure its going okay. At smaller universities, your professor is who will teach every class for a majority of your courses in that subject matter. Depending on the size and the breadth of the programs offered, this may vary, but you can most certainly be sure that it will be a full professor or an adjunct professor teaching you, not a fellow student. (Students may tutor you, but they won't be up front lecturing about 18th Century France or Osmosis).

You're able to create friend groups that overlap. So with the multitude of opportunities that you get at a small college, also comes the chance to make friends within all of those opportunities. At larger schools, you may feel like you need to stick with your team or your sorority/fraternity in terms of making friends, but at smaller universities you are involved in so many things that you create friendships that way. When I was in college, I had my friends from my French major, from my Admissions jobs, from my Orientation position, and then the random people I met and loved along the way. It is truly amazing to know that you have people you get to spend time with, but don't necessarily have to be around 24/7. Something to think about ...

Some small colleges offer three semesters, as opposed to two, which gives students and faculty the chance to travel for a shorter semester. Now this will differ depending on the college, but that shorter semester gives you the chance to take a class off campus and experience a new culture, without you having to miss a ton of classes for your major! Also, because you've already paid all of your tuition leading up to the travel trip, you will only have a smaller fee to actually go on the trip, rather than take a class on campus. The $2,000-3,000 price tag is a lot cheaper for traveling for three to five weeks than if you were to do that by yourself!

You become familiar with college administrators and all of the resources that you are able to use on campus. At a small campus, word about great student jobs, that administrator who is a perfect club advisor, and the secret stash of popsicles the Health Center gives out during Finals Week gets around rather quickly. So, when you really need a helping hand or have a specific question about your major or how you can access the Library Archives, you will know exactly who you need to see to make it happen! Plus, you will create amazing relationships with administrators who will mentor you for longer than just your four years in college!

So, I hope that today's post shows you just how much you can get from a college experience at a small college! Don't let the size fool you to think that a small size means small opportunities, because that is definitly not the case. I had the time of my life in college because I was at a smaller college and I know that my experience would have been very very different if I attended a larger university.

enjoy the chase,

skylar

College Rankings: Are they Important?

Hi everyone! Today, I wanted to talk to you all about college rankings and what they mean. These rankings are put out by different magazines and newspapers that use a variety of criteria to gauge the prestige of each institution. They can be useful for getting ideas and researching different universities, but you ultimately should not read too hard into them.

The most popular website for giving out college rankings is the US News and World Report (they rank other things too, like cars, hospitals, and places to live). In terms of colleges and universities, they rank schools by major, location, subject area, and money (Best Value Schools). You can also search the rankings based on their location in the United States as well. You all should definitely check it out because the rankings are interesting and some of them are actually quite surprising!

So, are they important? In my opinion, no they aren't important, but if you are looking for that prestigious institution, then by all means listen to the rankings. However, rankings do not determine how nice professors are, what the campus atmosphere is like, or what study abroad trips are available. This is where the rankings fall short.

When choosing a college or university to attend, it is more important to find the right fit for you, than it is to find a top school with five #1 rankings. Chances are, your perfect college will not be in the top 10 in any category or will not even be on the list ... and that is okay! These rankings are great for initial research and getting ideas on where to visit colleges, but don't rest your decision on where a college is in comparison to another.

For my alma mater, which was the perfect school for me, they are ranked #11 in Regional Colleges, #4 in Best Value, and #7 for Best Colleges for Veterans. They were not ranked in the top list of liberal arts colleges, nor were they listed as a top college for Study Abroad opportunities. The other university I applied to, however, was ranked on the National Rankings for Liberal Arts Colleges ... it was not the perfect fit, though. This shows just how unimportant those rankings are for making a final decision. You need to find a university that best fits your needs and that will provide you with all of the experiences you want!

So, when your friends are talking about getting accepted into this ranked college or that ranked university, that's great for them, but just remember it's about finding your perfect fit, not your perfect ranking!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. I am planning a series on commuting to college and that lifestyle, if you have suggestions, ideas, or questions about what I should include, please comment below or tweet me @Chasing_College

Student Perspective: Small Town to Large University

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend and are getting prepared for an amazing week ahead!

When I was writing the post from last week about getting involved on a large college campus, I had the idea to ask one of my best friends from high school talk to you all about her transition from a small high school (we graduated with 75 students) to the University at Buffalo (SUNY), which boasts a population of roughly 30,000 students. She survived and thrived through her transition from a small high school to a large university and here is her advice to help you through yours:
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Getting involved on a large campus can be really challenging. I was used to my high school where I graduated with 75 people; when I graduated from college it was 3500 just in my class. Now, I was never the most outgoing of people so this was a huge transition for me. When I started out freshman year I knew one person, whom I had met at Orientation. But from there she and I started going to club meetings and activities around campus so we met more people every day.

UB made it so you have the same classes and get put in the same arena with people of the same major. So even though the campus was so large, you saw a lot of the same people every day. I started out as a pre-pharmacy major, so right away I joined the pharmacy club to try to meet some like-minded people, which then led to joining the Honor Society. During my sophomore year I then started working with a catering company on campus. We were the ones to work all the football games and feed the players afterwords. I met a lot of really amazing friends working those crazy long hours!

Sarah at work with the UB mascot

I had a really hard time the first few weeks being away from home. My freshman year I was in one room with three other girls, so as you can imagine it wasn’t the best situation to be in. So yeah, you may have a pretty crappy living situation but you end up learning so much about yourself and the people around you that it’s hard not to have fun! To get out of the room though I got really involved at the gym on campus and started taking Tuesday night yoga classes. Just put yourself out there and make sure you have fun doing it!

Remember it really helps that everyone is in the same boat as you! Most people that go to college don’t know many people there either. It can be really hard starting out at a huge school not knowing anyone. Now is the time to put yourself out there and get out of your comfort zone. You will meet people from all walks of life that have so many interesting things about them, so make sure you ask questions. Enjoy the time you have in college but also remember you are paying for it so keep your priorities straight. It will definitely help out in the long run. :)
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I hope this post has helped you guys a little in planning for your transition to a larger university or for changing the way you are doing things there now. Just remember, getting involved is essential on any college campus, so find your niche and go with it!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. Sarah has just ventured out and become a presenter for the Cosmetic company Younique, feel free to check out her page here. 

How to Get Involved on a Large Campus

Hello all! I hope you all had a great weekend full of love; for yourself, for your family, and for your education! Today, I want to talk to you all about ways that you can get involved on a large campus. Large campuses are "large," because they usually have a lot of students, they cover a large campus area, and have great diversity. If you're thinking about attending a large university, then keep reading to learn about ways that you can get involved in campus!

1. Join Greek Life - I feel like this is what you may automatically think of when figuring out how you're going to make friends on a large campus. While this is obvious, it is a definite option and it is perfect for certain types of students. By no means is it for everyone, but if it is something you're leaning towards then definitely research your university's Greek life organizations and ask some upper-classmen about it when you get on campus. No matter what though, you want to make sure you go through the process because it is something you want to do, it is a four-year commitment.

2. Get Involved with your Major - Immersing yourself in your major group can provide you with great opportunities for getting involved on campus. You can find research opportunities, on-campus jobs, potential internships, and a group of like-minded friends that champion for the same things you do. If you're taking a lot of the same classes with students, you all can probably find things to get involved with, like on-campus events, speakers, conferences ... etc. Your professors might even have ideas or maybe they advise a student organization for your academic program!

3. Find a Student Group you Like - When you attend the Activities Fair in the Fall, you will be gravitated towards certain groups and populations of students -- usually they have similar values as you. If this is the case, then pursue those groups. Attend their meetings and try to get involved with their special projects. Whether it is the Black Student Union, College Republicans, Diversity United, International Student Organization, or the Jewish Student Group, find an organization that you align with and would like to be associated with for your years on campus! They will have events hosted throughout the year, so it is a great way to gain leadership experience too as you become an upper-classman.

4. Commit to an Athletic Team - So, at larger universities, being on an athletic team is a HUGE commitment, practically a full-time job in addition to your school work, so if you feel that you have the talent, the drive, and the desire to make that commitment, then you should really pursue that. However, if you love the sport, but don't necessarily have that D-1 talent, then look into becoming a student manager or equipment manager for the team. You can still be involved in that atmosphere and be connected to the sport you love, without the full commitment of workouts, one-on-one sessions with the coaches, and the study hall hours.

5. Become a Student Leader - Another great way to get involved on campus is to become a student leader with your student government association. Each university's is structured differently, but if you loved being a leader in high school, why not jump into it at the university level. You can join as a representative for your class year (e.g. Freshmen, Sophomore) and then rise through the ranks as you grow and learn more about the student government. This leadership can also help you gain access to student committees and student chairperson positions on administrative and faculty committees as well!

6. Talk to People - As silly as this may seem, talk to your classmates, people that live on your floor, administrators, bosses, professors, upperclassmen you see at lunch. Talk to them and see how they are getting involved, what they have going on. Who knows, they could be started a new club that is right up your alley and something you would love to work on! Talking to people and learning about others is a great way to learn about opportunities on your campus, so definitely put yourself out there and meet some new and interesting people!!

I hope this post has helped you guys a little in planning for your transition to a larger university or for changing the way you are doing things there now. Just remember, getting involved is essential on any college campus, so find your niche and go with it!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

What's in a College Part 5: Vocational/Technical Colleges

Hi everyone! Today, I am talking to you about vocational and technical colleges. In a previous blog post, I spoke about deciding whether or not to go to college and what your options would be if you chose not to. Well, in that post I briefly mentioned the opportunities for vocational and technical colleges, but below I explain more in-depth about the colleges and what you can expect from them.

A vocational or technical college is one where your program of study is specific and you only take courses that relate directly to that. At these institutions, you may not earn an Associate's degree, but instead you may be granted a license or a certification. Some programs that you could study include: cosmetology, medical coding, crane operating, and automobile repair. There isn't much of a "Student Life" experience at these colleges, however that isn't really their purpose.

The academic experience at a vocational/technical college is truly unique. These institutions are solely focused on you getting your license and using it to find the right job. The programs are highly specific and can rarely be applied to another career. While this may be intimidating, if you know what you want to do for your career and you don't want to 'waste' two to four years of your life getting a degree in something that isn't applicable to your career goals, then you should pursue the schools that offer the program you want. While some programs only last a month or two, others may take a year or more to complete. Each program is unique and has their own offerings, so be sure to research all of the places you are interested in and weigh the pros and cons of each.

Danielle J.'s experience: "I attended John Paolo's Extreme Beauty Institute to earn my cosmetology license. My experience with John Paolo's was very educational. It wasn't nearly as expensive as my SUNY education, and the time spent there was much shorter, with the goal of getting students working as soon as possible. My education was focused on precisely what I needed to know to work in the industry, which was nice not having to pay for and attend extra elective classes I had no interest in. Altogether, minimal time and money was spent at John Paolo's and I had a career within the week of my graduation."

If you think a vocational/technical school is what's most right for your future and where you want to be, then pursue it. See what is around in your community for programs and experiences and then research out into other areas to see what else is offered. Most importantly, remember that your college journey is unique to you, so be sure to follow your dreams and plan accordingly for them!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

What's in a College Part 4: Community Colleges

Hello all! The week is winding down and most colleges are preparing for their Fall Break (four day weekend)! For you High School students, this weekend is a great opportunity to visit some campuses because you have Monday off for Columbus Day!! So, enjoy your weekend everyone, but first I'm going to talk about community colleges!

A community college is a two year state school which offers Associate Degrees and courses that can be transferred to a four year university to earn a Bachelor's Degree. These colleges can be small or they can have a large number of students on their campus. Each one truly has their own personality and type of students.

When looking for a community college that fits your needs, you need to think of the program you want to study, whether you want to live on campus or commute from home, the type of lifestyle you want to live at college, and what extra-curricular activities you want to do .... essentially, just because you choose a two year school, it doesn't mean you need to sacrifice your needs or expectations in a college. Attending a two year program means that you will need to fit every opportunity possible into those two years. If you have the chance to do an internship, do it; if you have the chance to be an RA in a residence hall, do it; if you have the chance to help your professor with research, do it!! Less time doesn't mean less opportunities, it just means you need to be extra proactive.

Oftentimes, students will attend a community college to take college courses and save some money by living at home. This is a justifiable option and it is rather common nowadays. If you plan on transferring to another university for your Bachelor's degree, you will need to keep that in mind when it comes to your grades. You'll want to keep working hard in your classes in order to keep your GPA high and make you a desirable candidate for transfer admission. Also, you will want to see if your community college has an "articulation agreement" with any four-year colleges to help make the transferring process a little easier.

My boyfriend went to a community college for his Associate's Degree in Diesel Technology (to work on big tractors and tractor trailers) and had some great experiences during his time there. He was able to be in the Agricultural Engineering club, complete an internship with Caterpillar diesel engines, was able to make the Dean's List for a semester, and prepare his GPA for potential transfer if he chooses to pursue a Bachelor's degree later on. He graduated in 2 and a half years and was able to work part-time during his last semester while finishing two classes. All of these opportunities were available to him because he went to a community college, if he had attended another college, he may not have had these same opportunities nor taken advantage of them!

Going to a community college is a very viable option to help you save money and to help you take some courses to see what academic program you are interested in. Don't discredit community colleges, they are still a great place to get a great education!

Next week, I will be discussing vocational and technical colleges and what you can expect from them!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

What's in a College Part 3: Large Public Universities

Today on the blog, I am discussing large public universities and the type of experiences you can expect from these institutions. Please note that each university, although they fall into the same category, have their own unique characteristics too.

These universities are established state-wide and have many separate campuses in different locations. Think: SUNY, Penn State, University of North Carolina, and UMass. Their various locations allow more students from in and out of state to gain the rewards of an education in that system. For you, if you choose to live at home and commute to college, you would be able to find a campus near you. In contrast, if you wanted to move further away from home, but still get the perks of being in-state, you can do that too!

In terms of academics, large public universities offer a wide variety of majors and programs. These can be typical majors like Business or English, or rare and specific majors like, Meteorology (SUNY Oswego), Design and Theatre Technology (UNC-Greensboro), and Peace and Conflict Studies (UMass Lowell). In addition, many universities offer EOP programs and Honors programs for students that qualify. (These are extra opportunities to get involved on campus and find the resources that are going to help you the most while in college.) Additionally, large public universities offer research grants for students to take part in. Whether they are small scale studies or larger ones, you can still gain experience working in your field through research!

Campus Life on large public campuses is its own entity, they have so many things to offer to students, no matter their backgrounds. Students can join a sorority or a fraternity, can be involved in student government, can play a sport, or can simply enjoy the event and activities that happen daily on campus. These universities appeal to such a wide array of students, so they need to offer many different clubs, events, and experiences for all of their students. Joining a club and taking an active role in an aspect of campus life will really help you make friends and find your belonging when on a campus of 10,000-50,000 students.

Finally, a pubic university can oftentimes be the most affordable option of your college choices. Many times these universities will charge a specific, discounted rate if you are a resident of that state. This can greatly impact the amount of money you are spending on your college education. Also, if you choose a university which is close to home and choose to commute for a year or two, that will help you save even more money on your education.

If you are unsure of whether a large public university is for you, I suggest that you visit a campus and check it out. Like I said, each one has their own unique character with their own values, mission, and expectations for students. Go and check them out and find the one that best fits your educational goals!!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

What's in a College Part 2: Research Universities

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you all had a great week and are starting to make plans to visit the campuses you are interested in or have plans to attend a college fair soon! Today I am going to discuss the profile of research universities and the type of education you can expect from a university like this!

Harvard University's Annenburg Hall

Research universities are larger and attract students from all across the world. They have a well-known campus, successful graduates, and a prestigious reputation; think: Brown University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgetown University. Their main business is research, so they hire researchers as professors, their staff are involved in research, and their campuses develop the latest and world-changing studies on important topics in science, psychology, and law. (Think Cal Tech from Big Bang Theory)

I have never attended a large research university, so upon my own search, I found an article posted by US News and World Report about the perks of enrolling at a research university. If you know for a fact that you want to study a specific topic, you want to do research, you plan on going directly into graduate school after college, then a research institute may be for you! The culture on these campuses are unique in that everyone is interested and excited about their field of study and want to share that knowledge with the world. At research universities you have more opportunities to work on research yourself and help professors and TAs with their ground-breaking research, too!  These universities also have great facilities as far as, classrooms, laboratories, and libraries. An education at a research university could serve you well if you are looking for a highly specific major and know you want to perform studies and contribute to your field in research.

These research institutions, however, are highly selective in that they only accept the best and brightest students in the world. If an education at a research institution is something that you really want, I suggest you talk with your guidance counselor right away. You may need to take certain courses at your high school in order to meet pre-requisite requirements, as well as, take certain SAT subject tests in order to be considered for admission. You also will need to focus more time on test preparation for the SATs and ACTs to have comparable scores. It is possible to make your college dream a reality, but you may have to work a little harder than the rest of your classmates ... think about the rewards you will gain in the long run though!

If it is truly your dream to attend a large research university as an undergraduate, do everything you can to make it a possibility and don't let anyone sway you from chasing your college dream!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. If you decide you want to wait and apply to a research university for graduate school, that is okay too! If you know ahead of time that this is a long-term goal, then work towards it during your undergraduate education; take test prep courses, do small-scale research on campus, act as a TA (if your campus allows), and make the best grades you can! 

What's in a College Part 1: Liberal Arts Colleges

Hello everyone! Today, I begin a series on the different types of colleges and universities there are available to you. The first type I am going to discuss is the Liberal Arts College.

Liberal arts colleges are typically on the smaller side and focus mainly on undergraduate education. Because of the smaller size, you are able to have a better connection with your professors and establish rapport with them a lot easier. You can discuss the course material more easily with them, ask them questions about career opportunities, and even attend events around campus with them and their colleagues. Usually classes will be larger in the introductory courses, since a lot of students take these (25-40 students), but once you get into your major-specific courses, your classes tend to be even smaller (10-15 students).  You become close with your fellow students and professors while creating lasting friendships and relationships.

A liberal arts curriculum means that you have to take classes that are required for your major, as well as, classes that fit "general education distribution requirements." This means that you will also have to take a class or two in psychology or education, a type of science, a foreign language, mathematics, literature, art, and history. The specific requirements vary between colleges, but this type of education helps you get a well-rounded academic experience. This is especially helpful if you are going into college undecided; you can wet your feet in many genres of courses, while still meeting requirements for graduation in 4 years.

My experience: I attended a small (1,200 students) liberal arts college for my undergraduate education and it was the perfect setting for me. I wanted a community atmosphere with traditions, close connections with faculty and administrators, as well as, many unique opportunities to become involved on campus. I received all of these things plus more at my alma mater, Elmira College. I enjoyed taking classes in the different subject areas, as well as, being able to dance, be a Resident Assistant, work in multiple offices, and join as many clubs as I wanted. I made my college experience what I wanted and I enjoyed every second of it. Also, liberal arts colleges have fantastic alumni who donate to the college, so usually they offer really great scholarships as well. For me, this was a HUGE perk!! (Because of my scholarship, it was cheaper for me to go to a private college than it would have been to go to a public, state school.)

US News and World Reports establishes a list every year of the best colleges in the nation. Here is their ranking of the best Liberal Arts Colleges. Disclaimer: Don't judge a school based on its ranking. You need to find a college that best fits your needs, expectations, and desires for a college education. Use these rankings as an opportunity to research some liberal arts colleges that you're attracted to at first glance to see if you actually want to pursue them!

enjoy the chase,

skylar

P.S. These photos are of Hamilton College, a prestigious liberal arts college located in Clinton, New York.