Worcester,MA: Becker College is a small college whose size provides a sense of communityamong students and faculty that is apparent from the moment you set foot oneither campus.

The dual-campus aspect is probably one of the school'smost appealing aspects. One campus is in Leicester, a charming, quiet small town.That campus has a gym, a veterinary clinic, dorms, faculty buildings and a dininghall. The other campus is in Worcester. For those who enjoy a more fast-pacedlife, this campus offers easy access to the more metropolitan areas ofMassachusetts while the school itself is nestled in a residential neighborhood.The Worcester campus is the site of the Health Science facilities. The largeColonial-style student houses are both historic and breathtaking, and provide asense of closeness with housemates.

I was most impressed with theVeterinary Technology program Becker offers. It includes intense coursework aswell as hands-on training at the campus veterinary hospital. What makes thecoursework manageable is the help that the faculty and staff are more thanwilling to provide, which enables students like me to still play volleyball andfield hockey.

When I visited, I noticed that the faculty really takean interest in their students, unlike a lot of schools. Becker has an advantagebecause the enrollment is only about 1,000, making it easier for faculty to getto know students.

Another aspect of Becker that sets it apart from otherNew England schools is the cost, which is considerably lower than you wouldexpect for a private institution. I found that the cost for me to stay inCalifornia to finish school was almost the same as attending Becker, thedifference being 350 students per classroom and never meeting a professor versus20 students per classroom with hands-on experience and training. Becker seems tobe a one-in-a-million find, and I couldn't be more excited to be attending thisfall.


Reviewed in 2002