Smaller class advantages

Sometimes higher rated schools do not necessary guarantee satisfying college/university lives. Due to smaller classes, the administration folks at School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences, AUT, have provided personalized and productive experiences for everyone.


Interaction and enthusiasm

It allows students to interact much more freely and timely with each other, and the professors. This means more active participation, no more one-sided lecture and furious note taking drills. Reducing boredom, the whole learning thing becomes that much easier.


Social perks

Due to the frequent dialogues between students and professors, everyone has a better chance at making new friends and connections. Having friends in the school administration means timely scholarship application information, potential course changes, and maybe even casual campus or outside job offers. It is all quite rewarding.


Higher marketing spending does not mean better experience

I have met some people who had attended Auckland University, and found the experience unsatisfying, largely due to packed classrooms, tedious lectures, having little direct contact with professors, and etc. Sure, some schools have awesome reputation and it means little if they offer nothing but dry, mind-numbing talks.

Unconventional as it sounds, schools with smaller enrollees could present better learning experiences because the management (potentially caring) folks are capable of taking things from a ground up level. Instead of some statistic at a massive university, it feels nice to study at a smaller campus, and treated as a unique individual.