<div><p>Bucknell’s student body is the same size as my high school in Greenwich, Conn. As a high school student, running into friends wherever I went was great. Arguably, that still stands. Having a close-knit community is always a plus when it comes to events and games. It is a perk of attending a small liberal arts school. That is to say, however, you are equally as likely to run into an opposition. As a first year who landed here just a month ago, I thankfully have yet to develop any. I would imagine that, as an upperclassman, it must be a daily battle to find your opposition around every corner. My philosophy is that you should embrace the small scale of students and avoid forming enemies as much as humanly possible. If you are prone to being an opponent yourself, Penn State is a better fit for you. </p><p>One of the main reasons I chose Bucknell was actually for its high school-like size. I found that in high school when I could form a connection with my teachers, I was more willing to be engaged in class discussions and ask for help when needed, especially the teachers that I could gossip with, like my Spanish teacher, Garcita, back home. Studies have shown that you do, in fact, learn more while in a smaller class. Imagine all of your classes consisting of huge lecture halls where the professor does not care if you even show up. Being in a small school encourages you to be alert and attentive in class, and your professors are far more accessible. At a bigger school, the ratio between students and faculty grows more uneven, and professors are less readily available to help you one-on-one. It is a small price to pay for getting tired of seeing the same people. If you are having trouble with the lack of new scenery, remember that you did come here for the education. With that, it is always a pro to be comfortable and situated and not constantly have to start from scratch with new people.&nbsp;</p><p>A con to consider is that cliques are unavoidable in a small school. There are divides among the student body similar to that of high school groups—nerds, jocks, etc. It can work to your advantage because you will naturally gravitate towards people with similar interests. Organizations like student government and clubs are great ways to meet people with similar values and goals. There are other, active options to meet like-minded peers: go to the gym and try chatting with the people around you, playing club sports and taking workout classes. If you are not the public speaker type or big into working out, try getting a job or volunteering on or off campus. The Scratching Post cat café is a 100 percent volunteer-run initiative that needs students to help whenever possible. Even getting a job at the library desk is a low-risk job that pushes you to interact with others on a daily basis. A high school-sized college is what you make of it, so make the best of it. </p></div>

Mountain View, CA

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High school 2.0: Weighing the pros and cons of attending a small school

Bucknell’s student body is the same size as my high school in Greenwich, Conn. As a high school student, running into friends wherever I went was great. Arguably, that still stands. Having a close-knit community is always a plus when it comes to events and games. It is a perk of attending a small liberal arts school. That is to say, however, you are equally as likely to run into an opposition. As a first year who landed here just a month ago, I thankfully have yet to develop any. I would imagine that, as an upperclassman, it must be a daily battle to find your opposition around every corner. My philosophy is that you should embrace the small scale of students and avoid forming enemies as much as humanly possible. If you are prone to being an opponent yourself, Penn State is a better fit for you.