By Delaney Crawford//
Some students might be turned off by Hood because of how small our undergraduate population is. They might worry about making friends or not having enough to do. With only around 1,500 undergrads, I get it. Hood does seem extremely small, but there are actually so many benefits to going to a school of this size.
For starters, the community aspect is comforting. Since Hood has a small campus and not many students, it really does feel like you have one big family. I can walk around on campus and say “hi” to everyone I pass, even if I don’t know them, and everyone will say “hi” back.
You can get to know other students so easily because you will most likely see the same people around whether you’re in the dining hall, studying in the library, in class or just hanging out on the quad. “Hood is Home” has always been the motto here and that continues to ring true every year. The friends you make here will become your family and will last forever.
Another great benefit of going to a small school like Hood is the class sizes. With only around 15 to 20 students in each class, all the professors really get to know their students and vice versa. You can create a relationship with your professors that will ultimately help you do better in the class. In every class I have ever taken at Hood I have known at least one other person taking it with me. That allows me to have a study buddy and feel more comfortable opening up in class and really engaging in the course material.
Another thing that most students probably wouldn’t think about is skipping class. At bigger schools, students can skip class whenever they want because the professors don’t take attendance and probably would never even notice one student gone. At a smaller school with small class sizes, professors will know in an instant who is absent. This holds students accountable and gives them a greater responsibility to go to class and learn.
As long as you listen and attend class, do all your assignments, put yourself out there with other students, join clubs and study groups, you will succeed at any school. However, with a school like Hood, all of that stuff becomes just a little easier because of the support you feel the instant you come onto campus. A small liberal arts college doesn’t hinder students successes, but rather builds them up for a brighter future.
Love this!!!!