Austin College Speciality : Environmental Sciences
programme: Environmental Sciences

Positives:
Austin College is a small private school with very small class sizes. My largest class was a first-semester biology class with around 35 students, and later on in my career, I had a few classes with as few as 5 or 6 students. This was a huge positive for me, as I really appreciated the discussion-based classes and support from the professors. Professors and staff are generally very accessible, staff will know your name, office hours are readily available, and professors are typically invested in you and your career at the school. Austin College also has many programs and opportunities for studying abroad. There are some financial resources for students who need them. Also, the school offers month-long “terms” for students to study abroad with a group of other students and professors in incredible locations. I personally did a May term in Nepal and was lucky enough to experience the beautiful country and culture relatively affordably.

Negatives:
Austin College is a small school with a small campus, although I do believe the school has grown a bit since I attended. I was in the sciences, so I was able to take advantage of the then-new Idea Center, but the buildings for some other disciplines are quite small and outdated. As this is a smaller institution, there is not the large variety of classes that you would see at a state school, and sometimes signing up for classes can seem a bit like a fight to the death for specific spots in classes required for your major.

Again, I do think my time at Austin College benefited me in many ways and I enjoyed my time there. Being a small, private institution, your time at Austin College will be what you make of it. Make sure you take advantage of the resources and programs that the college offers.