<p>
I think the problem is that many students are “dead set on being around a large number of high achievers in a smaller environment.” (Bold is for changes, italics for emphasis.)</p>
<p>
I see this all the time, and IMO it stems from a misunderstanding of exactly what a “small school experience” means. Honors programs offer some smaller classes and a smaller peer group, but a small school (I assume you mean LAC) experience encompasses much more than that. Will you ever be able to walk across a large state U campus and recognize by name 75% of the people that you pass? I doubt it. Indeed, I think many students wouldn’t want that kind of experience–but for the students who do, “honors” at a large university too often pales with respect to a true “small school experience.” I don’t mean to demean the value of honors, but I see it as most beneficial to students who do care about the unique aspects of going to a larger school but want more personal attention, rather than to students who are perfect fits for an LAC atmosphere. The latter kind will probably still succeed, but they are more likely to have regrets. (Then there are students like rocket, who prefer an LAC but genuinely do appreciate aspects of a large U, like well-attended football games. I, on the other hand, would love to attend a school with no football team at all.)</p>
<p>Of course, one also has to weigh the value of academics vs. atmosphere vs. cost. Outrageous debt is never a good idea. If someone is dead-set on attending an LAC, I’d suggest UMinn-Morris, which is priced at in-state for everyone… but for students looking at top private LACs, that is also a huge drop in academic peers.</p>