So I am currently a senior and stuck on where I should attended school next year? I was accepted and given comprable financial aid packages at Trinity University in San Antonio TX and Montana State University. I have visited both and think they would both be good fits although extremely different! HELP! What are some pros and cons of going to a big state school vs a smaller more prestigious liberal arts school? Also any pros and cons of either Trinity or Montana State?
Thanks:)))
LAC has smaller classes, all resources are dedicated to undergraduate students, easier access to professors. Many big state schools brag about their huge research resources yet reality is that virtually all of that goes to grad students. Many state schools also rely on grad/Phd students to give intro undergrad classes, not the case in an LAC. Big sports and school spirit is a reason to prefer a big state school. Big networking opportunities, internship/job placement might be another reason. You plan to continue to grad school? Why not do undergraduate in LAC and grad school in big state? If you want to work after your bachelor degree then big state for undergrad might be better. Good luck with your choice!!
Big state schools can also offer more choices. More majors. More minors. More variety of classes because the population is larger.
That isn’t always true. My daughter goes to a (smaller) flagship and her classes often have under 25 students in them. She’s always known all her professors (she goes to office hours) and never has any trouble getting access. She’s had a few larger classes (100) and if there is a TA, they’ve been very helpful but the prof is always there too.
Not only do big schools offer more majors as gearmom stated, there may be many more options within the major each semester. More literature classes, more languages offered, more specialties within a science department. Just because a school lists 25 English classes as available doesn’t mean they’ll all be offered every semester. Sports may be better and more opportunities to participate in a club sport or intermurals. Montana State is a D1 school so there is football and basketball on a higher level. My daughter was pretty uninterested, but she’s gone to games as a social activity and found she enjoys them. You might be able to participate in something like marching band even if you don’t want to be a music major at a bigger school.
These schools are quite far apart, so one might be closer to your home. Don’t overlook the convenience of being close to home. One is in a very HOT place, the other in a very COLD place. Which do you prefer?
Consider the cost of travel, particularly if you have to fly. It is very expensive flying to & from Montana. You might have to make one or two connections each way unless you happen to live in one of the few cities that have direct flights to & from Bozeman.
Another thing to look at might be the demographics of the student body - male/female, instate/out of state, international, racial, Greek participation, %students living on campus, etc. Are you a vegetarian? Compare dining options.
How big is big and how small is small? My S had a similar decision with a massive state flagship (35k ug, 50k total) and a small LAC (that actually has a prominent undergrad business school (rare). He opted for the small environment as he enjoys a far more intimate setting. In his case we feel the experience and education (hard to separate the two) will be far greater because the resources are immense. However, if he wanted the big school scene, that would have worked out great too.
It really is about feel. The state flagship required many online classes (some say great, not us), move off campus sophomore yr (lack of facilities), etc. He wanted that classic college experience which, to him, means undergraduate and residential focus (everyone living on campus - builds great community), small classes (15-30 even in intro), There’s no right answer. It’s what works for you.
What do you think you’ll want to study? The schools aren’t just different in location and atmosphere; they have different academic strengths.
I wouldn’t consider Trinity to be especially prestigious, or Montana State to be a “big” state school. Ohio State and the University of Texas are big. Montana State is medium-sized.
I do believe that big school vs. small school is what matters more than public school vs private LAC. I went to a state flagship that only had 3000 students, and would guess that the small classes I had there were similar to what I would have experienced at a LAC.
Thanks everyone! I am planning on studying political science. I think this department at both schools is great. I met with several professors at each school, both TU and MSU have great opportunity for political science majors. No, Trinity is no Harvard but it definitely has a little bit of prestige in its name, at least where I am from. And I understand that Montana State is not THE biggest state school. However compared to Trinity it is much bigger. Both schools are equidistance from where I live and flights are actually very comparable. I have narrowed my choices down to these two schools. I guess I’m just looking for any insight as to what school would be a better atmosphere to live and learn in for 4 years… Thanks:)
If I liked Trinity, and wouldn’t have to borrow additional money, I’d go with it as the more selective choice over Montana State. Much of the learning in college comes by way of your fellow students.
How important is atmosphere (some is driven by size, but much is driven by student population)? As an example my S was admitted to both William & Mary and Wake Forest. W&M is a bit larger but close (7k vs 5k students). Both are highly academic and cater to undergrad, residential (living on campus), feature small classes and close prof relationships. However, that’s where the similarities end. W&M is public while Wake is private and so has a significant amount of resources generally not available at public schools. The student vibe is completely different. W&M is far more quirky (self admittedly) or “earthy / artsy”, where Wake has a significant sports / physical activity (for viewing or participating) culture which leads to a lot of “school spirit”. Both sets of students are welcoming and friendly, but just very different. W&M is known for its quieter, intellectual students vs. Wake’s more social group, Greek life, etc.You don’t know that until you spend some time there.
You have to answer your own question. It sounds like they are fairly equal from an academic and financial standpoint. Which is more appealing?
Since both are good schools, ask yourself which environment you think you would thrive in more. My sons first two visits were to a small/medium sized LAC in a small town and a large state school. He knew after those two visits that he only wanted to look at small/medium schools. My daughter went with us and instantly knew she needed a school with more population around it. Two kids with two different reactions. You want to love where you go. My son’s best friend was extremely impressed with Trinity and it is still in his short list of final choices.
I can give you a little insight from a Trinity student perspective:
Trinity University is a wonderful school, and I’m very glad I chose it. Small class sizes and very friendly and approachable teachers. One who I had last semester for American Politics, Dr. Burke, was incredibly insightful and allowed healthy discussion in the room. At the beginning of the semester we (anonymously) took a political spectrum of the classroom, just to see what viewpoints we were working with, and we had the entire range from liberal democrat to conservative republican. I admired Dr. Burke’s ability to question everyone’s opinions and beliefs in a constructive and fair manner while keeping order in the divided classroom. Granted this wasn’t a class that emphasized political discussion, I just brought up this example to show the sorts of professors you might encounter. This is the average interaction, at least. Many professors are just as good, if not better than the wonderful Dr. Burke.
Because it is a liberal arts school this is to be expected, but I thought I’d also outline the fact that you must take classes in many different disciplines. A state school won’t always make you do this beyond general baseline courses. I’m a chemistry major, yet I’ve also taken that American Politics class with Dr. Burke, and a class on science fiction (in addition to many others) as well as my major required classes.
Politically: the new mayor of San Antonio recently won a surprising victory over the incumbent, and he is a Trinity graduate, and in fact, the district seat that he left vacant was won by another Trinity graduate. In addition to these local government seats, Senator John Cornyn and other major politicians are also Trinity grads.
Finally, a few more things to consider: San Antonio is one of the nation’s fastest growing cities and already one of the largest and known for it’s vibrant culture! There are always things to do on and off campus, whether it’s joining the swing dance club, heading to the river walk to look at Christmas lights, visiting the old Pearl brewery, or going to a concert at the Tobin center, you wouldn’t be bored there.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. I don’t know anything about MSU so I won’t attempt to pro-con the two schools .
Best of luck in your decision making!
My takeaway from this is “know yourself”. If you’re the person that will make the effort as outlined above then a large school can offer a great experience and plenty of opportunities. But a quieter kid or one less savvy about the transition from smaller HS classes to a large U may miss out on a lot; whereas if they went to a LAC they will get the personal attention and class interaction as a matter of course.
Look closely at each choice and not just generalities spouted by posters who believe big state school means large classes and little personal attention and LAC means the opposite. Compare the departments and opportunities that you’re interested in at each. Visit and reach out to the local rep to answer your specific concerns.
My D - a freshman - goes to a large state flagship and most of her classes are tiny to small, 8-32 students, and only 1 large class of 120 with break out sessions of 20 students. There has been no lack of personal attention. Do your research.
^ exactly
I would hesitate to make broad generalizations about large versus small schools. It is important to look at specific schools, program’s etc and make your decision that way.