What Is This? A School for Ants?

You can admit it: the prospect of some giant, almost city-sized state school scares you. It might work for some, but that's just not you. You need a more intimate learning experience in the classroom, a tighter-knit community, and a campus where you won't get lost. Many students who feel the same way opt for a smaller liberal arts college instead of the big university, but some feel the need to go even smaller. If even the small, focused liberal arts school is just too big for you, then keep reading. Today, we're looking at some of the country's teeny-tiniest schools.

Why go to a small school?

If you're seriously considering a school with a sub-1000 student population, you'll have to look at the pros and cons. To start, the smaller environment means a closer connection with your professors and a more direct teaching experience. It's not like these small schools never have large lecture-type classes, but they're the exception rather than the rule. You'll also form a much tighter community with your peers, both because there will be fewer of them and because the size of the campus promotes greater proximity. The student organizations will also naturally be smaller, so you'll get to know the people in your clubs and orgs really well.

What are the downsides? Well, the biggest is the lack of resources. A much smaller school just doesn't have the libraries, athletic facilities, auditoriums, research apparati, etc. of a much larger school. Depending on who you are and what you want to study, this might not be such a problem, but it's worth considering. Additionally, there just won't be as many social options. A large school might have hundreds of clubs, programs, athletic teams, or student organizations that cater to almost every possible interest, but a super small school just can't necessarily count on that.

Outside of that, it's really a matter of preference. How do you define a great weekend? Tailgate and college football game, or small picnic on the quad? How do you define a great class? A lecture from an imminent scholar in an auditorium packed with eager students, or an intimate classroom defined by hands-on attention. Whatever you choose is what feels right to you.

But we've wasted enough time. Here is a teeny-tiny list of the country's teeny-tiny schools. 

The List

Prescott College, Prescott, AZ

Starting off our list is Arizona's Prescott College which starts an important precedent going forward: Prescott College, like many of the small schools on this list, likes to get a little weird with it. Case in point: when students start here, they're sent on a three week "Wilderness Orientation", taking the form of a backpacking trip into the surrounding mountains. On this trip, you'll build real community with your academic cohort as well as some Bear Grylls-like wilderness savvy.

With only 422 undergraduate students, Prescott is ultra-small, and they're proud of it. Wearing their size on their sleeve and emphasizing the intimate classroom experience, they know what sets them apart. And with a variety of excellent programs to choose from, you won't be sacrificing too much choice by attending.

Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC

Warren Wilson is another tiny school that distinguishes itself with a unique learning philosophy. Students are expected not just to learn but also to work on the school's farm, market garden, forest preserve, and a variety of community service opportunities in order to graduate. With such an unorthodox model, it's not exactly a shock that this school isn't for everyone, explaining the tiny student body of 625 undergraduate students and the relatively low retention rate of 59%, but for the student with the right temperament, these numbers shouldn't be discouraging. The truth is, if you're right for Warren Wilson, you're really right for Warren Wilson. The students who make it all the way through this unique learning experience love it like nowhere else.

And as a bonus for students in the LGBTQ+ community, Warren Wilson was named by Bold.org as the nation's best LGBTQ college. If that's important to you, then add Warren Wilson to the list, and you never know: this funky little locale could be the perfect place.

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME

Maine's College of the Atlantic (or COA) has one of the smallest student bodies on this list at only 366 undergraduate students. What's more, it has perhaps the most unique and interesting academic program. At COA, you don't pick a degree in one of the many existing fields and follow pre-assigned courses to achieve a predetermined end goal. Instead, everyone at COA pursues a degree in "Human Ecology," a complex and abstract term designed to accommodate many different skills and academic interests. The unifying factor is a philosophy of "remind[ing] us that we are part of a complex and interactive living world," meaning an emphasis on interdisciplinary studies. Students essentially design their own course of study, and the only mandate is to be original, forward-thinking, and willing to explore.

The school is located in the idyllic coastal town of Bar Harbor, Maine, so unlike a few colleges on this list, you won't be close to a metropolis. But what Bar Harbor lacks in hustle and bustle, it makes up for in quiet New England comfort and proximity to the region's immense natural beauty.

Ripon College, Ripon, WI

As one of the more traditional schools on this list, Wisconsin's Ripon College offers the educational style of a classic liberal arts college with all the benefits of a super small student body. At just over 800 students, it's another tiny institution compared to other liberal arts schools throughout the country, but here, you won't be sacrificing the traditional college experience quite as much as you might at other schools.

As one last little detail, you might think that a Wisconsin liberal arts school this small wouldn't have any famous alumni, but you'd be wrong. Harrison Ford went here and actually fell in love with acting when taking a class his senior year. However, he never graduated, being expelled only four days before his graduation.

Soka University, Aliso Viejo, CA

Soka University of America, the sister university of Japan's original Soka University, rounds out this article with one of the smallest student bodies on this list (392 students) and probably the most interesting history of all. Soka University was established on its current campus in 2001 by Daisaku Ikeda, the one-time president of Japan's Soka Gakkai International Buddhist movement. A well-established new religious movement, the school adheres to values of pacifism, humanitarianism, and globalism. And how do they emphasize globalism, you might ask? Well, all of their students are required to participate in at least one semester of study abroad before they graduate. It's literally part of the curriculum.

Aliso Viejo is also situated directly between Los Angeles and San Diego, so you'll have bustling California metropolises in two directions. With cities like these nearby, you can spend some of your weekends living large, giving yourself a break from the close quarters of the tiny campus. Soka University might be the perfect Goldilocks solution for students looking for a small school but not quite wanting to sacrifice access to the big city and its resources.

How College Rover Can Help

We've only listed five colleges today, and there are plenty more to choose from, and you might not even be dead set on a super small school. We know you're probably more than a little stressed about all the options ahead of you, and we wanted to make it all a lot simpler. On College Rover, we allow you to compare all of your college options purely on the metrics that matter to you. Whether that's student population, tuition, or options for majors, we've got you covered. Head on over to College Rover and make your life a lot easier.