subject: Big Universities vs. Small Universities and International Students [print this page] Big Universities vsBig Universities vs. Small Universities and International Students
International students, aside from doing the hard work of getting to attend university in the US, also have a very important decision to make. Choosing to go to big universities or small universities both have advantages. In reality, there will be some parts of this decision that will simply come down to personal preferences. If you like a lot of action and adventure in your school day, you'll probably love a big, energetic campus. If you like things peaceful and relaxing, a small university may be the way to go. There are, however, some objective realities to this decision.
Small Universities
Small universities have two primary advantages: access to professors and a non-distracting atmosphere. It's not uncommon to know your professors personally at a smaller university and this is an ideal situation for some international students. In fact, for some students, this may make it easier to get used to being in the US. Knowing professors allows you to get good information about the community you're in, the culture and other information that may not be as readily available, or as accurate, when you get it from your peers. The access to your professors also makes it easier to get through tough parts of projects and assignments.
Big Universities
Big universities have their appeal, just as do smaller universities. You may not have the same access to your professors, but you will have access to many people in your own peer group. There's a good chance that, at a university that's large enough, there will be a group of people from your home nation, which can ease your acclimation to being far away from home. Larger universities are also more likely to have individuals available who speak your native language, which can be a big help when you need help understanding something or when you're just a bit homesick.
Either way, American universities provide a fine education. You can make your choice based on being closer to resources you may need or you can make your choice based on having access to some of the most famous wild places in the US. A university in New York will have more access to urban adventures; a university in the west or southwest will allow you to experience those parts of the US that are counted as among some of the finest wilderness areas in the world.
