<p>I have a related question to pose, although it is somewhat off the original topic. How do people feel about the idea of students from very small high school going on to very small LACs or to huge universities or students from very large high schools going on to very small or very large colleges? I know a lot depends on the personality of the individual student, but is there any general feeling about this? My daughter attends a huge high school with about 2400 students in grades 10-12. We have discussed the fact that she has already shown her ability to do very well in this environment where no one is holding your hand, and she anticipates enjoying the interactions and closeness of the small LAC she will attend. But these are just our opinions and I am interested in others' thoughts. Do you think someone who is graduating from a very small private or public school and then goes on to a small college will lack the ability to navigate in a huge bureaucracy when they go out into the world or is this not a problem? Do small high school graduates find large universities overwhelming, and, conversely, do huge high school graduates find very small colleges stifling?</p>
<p>There isn't "handholding" at LACS......in fact, there's often MORE accountability at a LAC because you're expected to contribute to the class discussion as part of your grade......also "guts" or "cupcake" courses are often hard to find....there just isn't alot of $$ available to offer courses that aren't relevant and worthwhile...</p>
<p>MotherofTwo, I don't think anyone should try to generalize about whether moving from small high school to large university, or from large high school to small college is better by itself. I went from a large public high school in a big city suburb (L.A. city schools -- 600 students in my graduating class) to a small college (1,000 students). I don't think I suffered. Quite the contrary, I learned to cope socially, lived away from home for the first time, carried a prodigious academic load and survived and thrived. </p>
<p>Had I gone to one of the UC's (say Berkeley or UCLA), I think I would also have done just fine but might not have been as challenged by my studies. Perhaps I'd be doing something different today, but then again perhaps not. I well remember once in high school when an uncle of mine (a college professor) asked me what grade I was in, and when I told him I was entering 12th grade, he responded, "Well then, Mac, you can look forward to going to school for the next 10 years." He must have known that I had a high probability of going on for an advanced degree, and perhaps in an academic career.</p>
<p>In any case, I don't think your generalizations necessarily hold up. While I have a preference for smaller colleges (but I TEACH at a big one), I don't prefer them because of size as such -- and I certainly don't prefer just any small school, even any "highly ranked" small school, to all large schools. Rather I prefer certain small schools to most any large one because of the types of programs and challenges they offer to the typical student. And when it came to my own children's choices, I encouraged them to think about the type of overall academic atmosphere and programs of a college more than the size or location of the college. And that's what they did in fact do, though location WAS one important factor in their decisions.</p>
<p>dke, Perhaps I misspoke when I used the phrase "holding your hand". I was trying to refer to the impersonal atmosphere at a very big school. My daughter chose to aim for a small school precisely because she wanted to be in small classes where discussion plays a large part.<br>
mackinaw, I don't think I made any generalizations. I was just asking questions to find out other people's experiences on this topic. Your description of your personal experiences are very interesting and relevant.</p>
<p>MotherofTwo,
Our D attended a private secondary school with ~450 students. Her graduating senior class was less than 40. She is at a small liberal arts college in PA with a student body of ~1300. It's still larger than her high school!!! ;) It's all relative...</p>