Does the size of the university matter? In another way: does the number of students enrolled at a university have a significant impact on the student experience?
Does it affect the quality of their academic experience for better or worse? Does it make any difference to their social lives and personal development? After reading this article, you will have a clearer picture about what kind of advantages a smaller university like the University of Dunaújváros can offer to you.
There are so many factors to take into consideration when you decide on your university. The major, the location, the extra-curriculars, and the community are just a few of them. Overwhelmed with options, students often overlook an important factor of the university-choosing process: the size of the schools they are looking at.
Larger colleges and universities often educate thousands of students, whereas smaller institutions of rural cities only have a couple thousand undergraduates, but what are there benefits of living in such a family-like environment?
Small class sizes more active participation
While attending a class at a large university often means taking a seat in a massive lecture hall with hundreds of classmates, smalles universities offer a way different experience. Classes rarely have more than 50 students which means students in small classes can be more active by asking questions, share comments and join in class discussions. Professors of larger universities are often putting a stronger focus on their researches and publications. In contrast, smaller schools often use the quality of a professor’s work in the classroom which can mean a richer, more rewarding experience for their students.
Smaller universities have a stronger community
Sometimes, you can feel alone in the middle of crowd, but with fewer faces in the crowd, it is easier to get to know your fellow students and develop friendships. While small universities may not be able to offer a whole bunch of activities that larger schools can, the different activities are campus-wide which means they mostly include everyone.
More efficient interaction with University staff
When crowds and long lines are getting general, professors and administrators are inevitably forced to put quantity over quality at times. At a small university, the staff serves a smaller student body, so they can devote more time to each student which mean more interaction and more in-depth attention both in and out of the classroom.
You are a person not a number
At smaller universities students are seen as individuals rather than numbers. With a smaller student body and smaller classes, professors know students, so they tend to be more invested in their individual success. The University of Dunaújváros always emphasizes: „The student is not just a Neptun-code”.
Smaller universities of rural cities are more wallet friendly
Rural university towns can present an advantage that capital cities do not: graduating from a university in the capital costs much more than graduating from a rural university. This not only means that the cost of the training might be more affordable, but the living costs can also be much lower. The money saved will allow you to explore the country and attend parties or concerts in your free time.
