Pros and Cons of Drake University's Enrollment Size

I'm looking into Drake University and wondering how its enrollment size affects student life and class sizes. Does having more students provide more opportunities, or does it feel overwhelming?

Drake University, with its enrollment size of around 5,000 students, provides a middle-of-the-road experience. The size of Drake offers a few key advantages as well as potential drawbacks.

Advantages:

1. Personalized Attention: An enrollment size of around 5,000 is considered medium-sized, which can offer the best of both small and large universities. This size is large enough to provide abundant resources and opportunities but small enough for a degree of personalized attention. Smaller class sizes typically lead to more opportunities for one-on-one interaction with professors, which can benefit students who thrive in a more personalized learning environment.

2. Strong Community: A moderate enrollment size usually fosters a tight-knit community, where students can familiarize themselves with many of their peers. This could make the university experience less overwhelming than at a large school with tens of thousands of students.

3. Diverse Activities: While Drake may be smaller than huge state universities, it still offers an array of clubs, activities, and athletic events to satisfy varied interests, fostering a vibrant campus life.

Disadvantages:

1. Limited Course Offerings: While Drake offers a wide array of programs, it might not have the same variety or depth in certain fields as larger universities. If you have highly specific academic interests, you might find fewer course offerings in your field.

2. Fewer Networking Opportunities: At larger college campuses, students might have more networking opportunities simply due to the larger student body and alumni network. For example, larger schools might attract more recruiters for job and internship fairs.

3. Less Anonymity: At a mid-size school like Drake, you're more likely to frequently see familiar faces. For some students this could be a plus, but others might prefer a larger campus where they can blend into the crowd more.

In summary, whether Drake's enrollment size is a pro or con largely depends on personal preference. Some students thrive in a close-knit environment with more personalized attention, while others might prefer a larger school that offers the hustle and bustle of a big campus and wider academic offerings. It may be helpful to visit the campus to experience firsthand the scale of the university and see if it feels like a good fit for you.