<p>"I thought the TA's I had occupied about the same range from great to not-so-great as the professors."</p>
<p>I bet this gets a smile from LAC fans! Our Big U D likes one of her TAs better than the class's corresponding prof (let's hear it for the TAs!); our LAC D has never uttered anything negative about a prof.</p>
<p>We should ask former TAs, now profs, what they think of their corresponding abilities over time.</p>
<p>are there Ivies which are LACs ?</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant Carleton among LAC with good science programs and grad school admit rates, Macalester might me great, but I don't know too much about it, just a brain fart, cause I was reading something else.</p>
<p>Here's one addition to the list of LAC's in cities that are US News Tier One:</p>
<p>Rhodes College - Memphis</p>
<p>Interaction with profs is key...
I started going to their office hours just to answer a few lingering questions about problem sets. Just by doing this, they really get to know you, and you build a working relationship that opens avenues into working on senior projects with them, getting into their own research interests, getting letters of recommendation, etc.</p>
<p>I would like to know more about Macalester College as its location is attractive to many students who prefer a small school, but also want city life.</p>
<p>I did my undergraduate degree at the Univ. of Colo. and I chose that over Colorado College because Colorado College didn't have a traditional business degree. I thought having a more traditional degree would up my chances for getting a job, but I think I actually would have had a lot better luck with Colorado College. When you graduate from a big state school, it's hard to tap into a network of people, you are just a number. Who and what you know, in my opinion, is more important than the kind of degree you get. If you will get a better education at a smaller school and will have access to a network of people when you graduate, by all means, go for it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Here's one addition to the list of LAC's in cities that are US News Tier One:</p>
<p>Rhodes College - Memphis
[/quote]
</p>
<p>My apologies for missing Rhodes. I had a strong suspicion I had omitted at least one school on my list.</p>
<p>I go to Macalester, and I really like it here. But I think a lot of the reason is that it's a good fit for me personally.</p>
<p>I like that it's got a small, contained (and very pretty) campus; it's really in its own little bubble. But I've always got the option of leaving the bubble and going into the cities, which provides a lot of opportunity for entertainment, internships, and just mixing things up. And it helps me from feeling stifled by the small student body. I'm only a sophomore, but for now I've struck a nice balance between knowing enough people to feel comfortable and still meeting new people all the time.</p>
<p>My classes are, in general, pretty awesome. The biggest lecture classes usually have around 40 people, but the average class size is probably closer to 15. Last year, I even had an intro class with just 5 people. I definitely prefer being able to speak up and ask questions if I want to. I'm introverted enough that I would be unlikely to do so in any larger classes. And the idea of things getting taught by a TA baffles me. I'm paying for professors who really know what they're doing (not that TAs can't be good, obviously there are exceptions) to be the ones teaching me. I drop into my professors' offices all the time with questions, and they're happy to answer them. I've even lined up some January research with one of my professors who I've only had a class with this semester because she's gotten to know me fairly well.</p>
<p>And from what I hear, Macalester's pretty well respected among grad/professional schools, so hopefully I'll be able to get accepted into the programs I'm looking at. I definitely think the analytical, liberal arts approach has been helpful to my development since I find it very easy to immerse myself in science and only science.</p>
<p>LACs definitely aren't for everyone, though. Class schedules are restrictive, with many classes being offered one section each at times that conflict, random semesters, or not at all. And it's incredibly expensive unless your income's really low and you qualify for need-based aid. But I don't mind that stuff most of the time because I feel at home here, and that the school is preparing me well to think critically and succeed at whatever career I land in.</p>
<p>Here are some thoughts on the TA discussion. Many years ago, I was a TA at a large state university. I now teach at a small college. In looking back at my own experience, I found that as a TA, the students liked my humor and found me approachable (I was 22-24, just a few years older than my students). I was very willing to help them and many hung out in my office. My mission was to be a college teacher from the start. My fellow TA's who did not see teaching as a real interest tended to be dismal TA's (much like some faculty who are exclusively research focused).During my years as a TA, I had a faculty mentor who shared many of her "tricks" with me. She was a fantastic lecturer and I learned a lot from her.</p>
<p>My weakness as a TA was the fact that I had no experience. I had no interesting stories to flesh out my lectures and I went primarily by the text. Over the years of teaching I have developed a lot of "bells and whistles" in my presentation and do feel that I am far superior to my former self. My lectures are not a regurgitation of the text so I would like to think this is a better experience for the student. I also know what concepts are difficult to master and have developed materials to assist with mastery.</p>
<p>I attended a large, well respected, top state university as an undergraduate. I was quiet and shy but did have a senior thesis and did get to know a couple of professors during the later part of my junior year and into my senior year. When I got to graduate school, I was ill equipped to engage in seminar classes (which most of my classes were). The LAC grads were better prepared than I was but I did catch up by the end of my first year.</p>
<p>The choice between LAC and big U is should be based on a combination of what best meets the personal needs of the student and economics. My D is a freshman at a top LAC. She is engaging in research, getting to know faculty and, in general, has access to experiences I did not until I was a senior or in graduate school. Had I not been so shy and and retiring, perhaps I could have had experiences similar to my daughter's sooner. A more outgoing temperament can certainly access opportunities at a big university and, I imagine, might fit better in a larger environment anyway.</p>
<p>I know these sentiments have been echoed elsewhere in this thread, but I'd like to add my two cents. Last spring my D had to decide between a large state school (UCB) and a small LAC (Pitzer). In the end she chose Pitzer. At the time I felt it was the right decision and after parent orientation and two months there I feel her decision is even more justified. Guaranteed housing for four years, small classes, close contact with her professors, a smaller, more convenient campus - these are just some of the reasons we are glad she chose Pitzer. Cost with financial aid was no more than in-state at UCB. I work in a high school and am encouraging more of my students to look into LAC's.</p>
<p>
[quote]
are there Ivies which are LACs ?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Ivies are schools in the NE which make up the Ivy league , a sports league. There are no LACs in that collection of schools.</p>
<p>Ivy</a> League - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>also, I stumbled upon this recently ...</p>
<p>That article concludes with this about LACs: </p>
<p>"They all, however, are threatened by declining demand for liberal education."</p>
<p>Is anyone aware of LACs where applications have been dropping? Antioch is one, I suppose.</p>
<p>Hmm I was under the impression that LACs were getting more popular... I'd choose an LAC over a large university anyday.</p>
<p>Not to blur the definition, but you might add this one to your list:
</p>
<p>I'm at an LAC that is 1000 kids smaller than my public, inner-city high school and in the middle of nowhere, and I was originally concerned that I should have perhaps chosen a bigger school in more of an urban area. I've been here for about 3 months, and after visiting friends at much bigger schools, I know that I made the right decision. Smaller class sizes, teachers who are concerned about your progress, a tight-knit community, and the ability to participate in anything you want. I did Mock Trial for years in high school, and my co-captain went to Columbia, where she didn't even make the team, whereas at my college we didn't even have tryouts, since it was open to anyone interested. Provided you can accept that the workload will be heavy (but you'll learn a lot!), an LAC is the way to go.</p>
<p>how "broad" is the spectrum of education at LACs?
i do understand that you will be taking courses that are perhaps not within ur forte,
but would it be broad to the point that it will be like highschool where you will be taking
classes that you absolutely hate?
in other words, if i was an econ major, would it just extend to the point of taking
lit / poli sci / philosophy classes (which i am really excited about) or even to
advanced science courses - because if that's the case, LAC will NOT be an option for me.</p>
<p>blondie: I doubt that anyone would disagree that the first year at a LAC is wonderful--especially the first semester. And, usually, LACs make for an easier transition to college from living at home due to personal attention from faculty & staff, as well of due to the lack of TAs & the practice of "weeding out" students from certain majors. The issue as I see it is which offers more opportunity for growth during the second, third & fourth years.
I am very familiar with your college and its great academic reputation. It was a favorite of recently deceased Loren Pope, author of several college related books & former NYTimes education editor. But your school is exactly the type of LAC that has significant substance abuse issues probably due to its small size & rural location; this issue is not unique to LACs--just more pronounced & obvious due to the more homogeneous nature of the studentbody at a small, rural LAC.</p>
<p>A parent of two daughers told me that both girls loved their mid-sized LACs in the first two years of college, but both found the environment too limiting after that. One had to transfer out because the specific topic that she developed an interest in had only one faculty member and that person was on sabattical for a year. </p>
<p>Similar to coldwind, my main concern about LACs is: they sound like they are great for the transition from high school but they may not get you ready for the real world. If you are planning to go on to graduate school it probably doesn't matter so much, since grad school is still a lot like college, but I wonder how much of a shock it is to transition from an LAC directly into the real world.</p>
<p>I think we can agree that LACs' strengths are not so much vocational preparation for the real world (e.g., due to lack of engineering and business majors), but rather preparation for grad school. Some students want the former, some the latter; that we have such excellent choices is the best part. A few students will find that they didn't know so much about their schools or about themselves, and will transfer in one direction or the other.</p>