When you mention college or university, many people create an image in their heads of large sprawling campuses, stadiums with marching bands, and quads full of student activity. The typical state university environment with tens of thousands of students such as ASU or Ohio State.
But, there are those schools who are a bit smaller. No big flashy football or basketball programs, no 50,000 seat stadiums and no squares with fountains that rival Vegas. In fact, there are four year colleges that have a smaller enrollment than some kindergarten classes.
The average enrollment for a baccalaureate, associate, masters, art and law school in Vermont is just over 500 students per school. The largest school in the state, University of Vermont dwarfs all the other schools with more than 15,000 students with Norwich University as the second largest with one third that number.
Vermont’s smallest school, Sterling College has anywhere from 100-140 students on average and offers a liberal arts degree in environmental education, conservation, natural history and environmental humanities. The type of hands on personal experience that comes from attending a micro college can be far more engaging than sitting in bleacher style seating with 300 other students listening to lectures.
For those students looking for a specialized field such as civic engagement, social involvement, fine arts, culinary arts and religious studies, the environment at schools such as Marlboro College, Burlington College or even the New England Culinary Institute can be particularly rewarding. With class sizes as small at ten students for each teacher, involvement isn’t optional and the chances of falling through the cracks or being left behind are gone.
Plus, the environment of many of these schools is simply stunning. Instead of huge parking garages and rush hour traffic surrounding the campus, you’re often faced with untouched forests and wildlife. One of Vermont’s tiny colleges might be the perfect place to get away and really focus solely on your education and your academic experience.