After mounds of crumpled up, tossed out attempts at “pros vs. cons” lists, hours of researching universities and their programs, and months of pondering, I can now decipher the logic resulting in the click of a mouse that enrolled me at a university.

Forced to choose between similar programs at four different universities, I knew another variable – a deciding factor – had to emerge.

Wilfrid Laurier’s small size of only 2,200 full-time students certainly differentiated it from the other campuses but, to be honest, I didn’t see this as an attractive quality at first. Worst-case scenarios from a small university’s limited choice of programs and course offerings, such as no flexibility and a carved-in-stone timetable, often ran through my mind.

To balance these fears and bring some symmetry back to the pros vs. cons list, I reconsidered the pro, “You’ll be more than just a number.” Originally, I thought this was just a phrase universities use to appeal to students who need to feel “special” by having their TAs or professors call them by name. I never needed that.

However, I now realize the valuable “academic networking” a small campus can provide.

In the first month or so of school, a professor outside of my faculty who had gotten to know which program his students were in, brought a relevant internship opportunity to my attention. The advertisement for this opportunity had found a resting place on a fax machine tucked away with faculty offices.

In the last week of the term, the same professor encouraged me to submit a paper to an essay contest. This was the first time I had heard of the contest, but luckily I found out about it just in time to enter a winning submission. I made an addition to my resume and a deposit to my bank account!

More recently, I stumbled upon an extremely generous scholarship program. I was eligible and the application was short, but I needed a reference letter from a professor. I hate asking people to write me reference letters as it is and there was some added nervousness, since I had to ask a professor.

While discussing the scholarship with some friends who attend other universities, they laughed at the prospect of getting a professor – who wouldn’t know them from the hundreds of other students in their class – to write them a reference letter. However, I was able to get a letter from this professor who had led a tutorial of about 20 students.

In the case of this reference, Laurier’s “smallness” could mean the difference between $0 and $27,000. I will have to wait until August to find out.

Likewise, many opportunities have resulted from a second contact at school. It started when I contacted her about one of her research projects. It wasn’t too long before I was hired for a brief stint as a research assistant. I have since talked to a few friends who attend larger universities, where policies are in place that prevent students from doing this type of work prior to second year. As a first-year student at a small campus, I was fortunate enough to be considered on an individual basis, taking into account that I had taken some senior-level courses during my first year.

About a week ago, this professor directed my attention to a posting for summer employment. Given the hundreds of other postings (and that isn’t an exaggeration), I don’t think I would have seen this specific opportunity had I not received a “heads up.” I was ecstatic to hear that I will start this job Monday morning! I know I’m one of the lucky students to have found work in my field, thanks to a helpful contact.

I have made contacts at Laurier aside from the two described below, but these give you an idea of how being “more than just a number” could lead to internships, employment, references (for jobs, grad school, or even scholarships), etc. The smallness of the campus set it apart from the other three universities to which I applied and I hope the experiences I gain while at this small campus will help set me apart from thousands of other students, all graduating with BAs.