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9 Ways a Private College Education Will Benefit You

By Leah Marianne Klett,

Choosing a college can be an overwhelming experience for many high school students. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know which college is best for you.

As you prepare for this new and exciting phase of your life, consider the benefits of attending a private college before making a decision. Private colleges offer a number of advantages, like smaller classes, a tight-knit community, and a strong network of alumni. Here are nine ways a private college education will benefit you, both short and long-term.

1. More one-on-one interaction with professors

Professors at private colleges have fewer students, so they typically have more time to spend investing in students, ensuring they achieve their academic goals. The individual attention professors are able to give each student also allows for a personalized, high-quality education. At private colleges, students receive an education tailored to meet their individual needs and skill set.

2. Tight-knit community

Between hall events, holiday parties, and dorm activities, private colleges place an emphasis on community. This allows students to thrive socially and develop life-long friendships.

The numbers speak for themselves; private colleges scored well on The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education 2018 list of colleges and universities where students feel the most inspired by their peers.

“Peers are the single most important influential group on campus in terms of how students spend their time, what classes they take, how much they study and what habits they pick up,” George Kuh, a professor of educational policy at Indiana University, told the Journal. “Peers matter big time, they shape a student’s experience.”

3. You’ll have a louder voice

Because private universities are smaller than their public counterparts, you'll have a greater chance make your voice heard. This will allow you to make a positive difference on-campus and enjoy open dialogue with professors and other students, both inside and outside the classroom.

4. You’ll have access to a strong network of alumni

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70%-80% of all jobs are found through some form of networking. Private colleges often have a strong, intimate network of alumni who are more than willing to help up-and-coming graduates find success in the workplace.

5. There are more extracurricular activities

Whether you want to hone your journalism skills by writing for the school newspaper, flex your competitive muscles through intermural sports, or make an impact on society through student government, private colleges provide a number of extracurricular activities that will enrich your college experience.

6. Smaller classes

Classes at private universities are usually quite small, allowing for greater student/professor interaction, hands-on learning activities, and participation opportunities. In fact, at small private colleges classes, can be as small as 10 or 12 students. Small class sizes help students get the absolute most out of their college experience.

7. Better financial aid

Private colleges are often able to offer significant financial aid and other forms of tuition assistance to students. At the end of the day, a student attending a private college may end up paying less out-of-pocket than a student attending a state institution, according to .

8. A safe environment

It’s important to feel safe wherever you attend school. Colleges are required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) to keep campus crime statistics, which are compiled from campus security reports. According to rankings, the safest campuses — those with low crime incidents, robust security, and a sense of inclusion — are overwhelmingly those of private colleges.

9. Quality resources

Private colleges place an emphasis on curriculum and academic excellence. Because of this, many have incredible resources including state-of-the-art science labs, top-notch libraries, and museum-quality art galleries. These resources will enrich your college experience and benefit you far beyond the classroom.

 
Liberty University, also referred to as Liberty, is a private, non-profit Christian research university in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty is one of the largest Christian universities in the world and the largest private non-profit university in the United States, measured by student enrollment.

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