There are many factors in the field of educational social psychology that attempt to explain why similar students achieve different results within the class. The phenomenon known as the big fish-little pond effect (BFLPE) is one example. James Davis first invented the BFLPE in the field of psychology in 1966. Davis concluded from his study of male students that high-achieving students who attended a lower caliber university tended to perform better and to have a better vision of their future career. . This indicates that it is better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond. This phenomenon has been widely studied and has taken into account high and low socioeconomic status (SES). The BFLPE phenomenon can also be attributed to three of sociology's paradigms applied to education: functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. The question remains: how and why are students affected by BFLPE and is there anything that can be changed within the education system to maximize the positive effects of BFLPE? The BFLPE phenomenon addresses the notion of self-concept in the school environment. The idea of ​​self-concept is best explained by the theory of self-categorization developed by John Turner and his colleagues. Self-categorization theory helps explain how the self is identified through association with a group. This means that one's conceptual idea of ​​self is correlated with how one interacts with a larger group. Regarding the BFLPE phenomenon, a high-achieving student who attends a less prestigious institution will likely develop a sense of self that places him or her in an elevated position relative to his or her peers. Conversely, a high...... middle of paper ......ant to encourage and expect high performance from their children, but demonstrate an understanding of the relative caliber of institutions. Perhaps schools should consider departing from the path of the previous century and encouraging a more heterogeneous sample of students, rather than following them based on their abilities. Ultimately, deciding whether it is better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond depends on the age and developmental level of the individual. Unfortunately, for this phenomenon to continue, the school system will have to remain stratified. As with many issues in the field of social psychology, additional research is needed to better understand the factors that contribute to student success. In the meantime, the BFLPE phenomenon is just another factor to consider when trying to understand student development in education..