<p>Very good Cheers, your son's experience is one that everyone reading the boards should keep in mind. I'm strongly partial to LACs and small to mid-sized universities, but they are not for all students. Some students are much happier in the larger environment; others may not have many choices because of financial constraints, and need to hear that the experience at a larger school can be first rate, it just requires some self-starting.</p>
<p>thanks for the photos barrons. I didn't know U of Wisc. was such a small LAC (LOL!)</p>
<p>Just call me the Mythbuster. Sure there are some big intro classes at UW but out of 4500 classes they measure under a few 100. There are a boatload of small esoteric classes in most majors.</p>
<p>Bridie, your original post is one that I can relate to. My child, like yours, had favorite schools that were mid-sized, and the next favorites were on either side in size, one an LAC and the other a university. Both were excellent schools but so very different. If your son does indeed end up with the two choices of LAC and university, he can do two things: 1) order his priorities and 2) find out all he can about the schools (visit, research, talk to people there). Of course, if your son gets into his first choice schools (presuming all options are affordable) then he won't have a dilemma, so we'll hope for that!</p>
<p>There really are advantages to each type of school, and each school is different as is each student; this is a matter of individual preference and requirements, I think. </p>
<p>Initially, my child did not want a big school. However, there were very specific and developed academic and extracurricular interests. In the academic areas, some small schools had only one prof, maybe a couple, specializing in each area. This might be rather limiting when wanting to be exposed to different perspectives within the field, or in having a choice as to who to work with when doing research. So, even though any student may certainly change majors along the way, for THIS student it was important to find schools with depth in specific areas, with ample choices of courses and professors. This, in addition to the opportunities to still work closely with profs and to have mentoring and research with leaders in the fields, really made "bigger but not too big" academically ideal for my child, but we found that even very large schools often have many small classes especially in upper level courses, and there can be honors colleges and specific programs that can be just right for someone. Likewise, some small schools have depth as needed, and surprising strength in some areas you might not expect--so your son really has to figure out his "needs and wants" and check things out. </p>
<p>Additionally, there is that most important factor: where is your son most comfortable? At which school, the small or the large, does he feel he belongs? Most kids, I think, get some sense of this when they spend time there. I know two very quiet studious types at a huge state school who LOVE it, love to go to the big games and feel a part of the place, and have nothing but good things to say about their school, academically and socially. I don't know that I would have imagined them there! </p>
<p>Also, there are fit issues that are specific to each student. For instance, mine wanted access to a big city and often takes an easy train ride to get there, and there were extracurricular activities to continue, so it was important that the schools offered these (with all sorts of specific needs relating to these). One school that had been a long-time favorite was off the list all together due to extracurricular incompatibility! And the LAC that my child applied to met the academic and extracurricular needs extremely well; though not spot-on in all fit areas, it would have been a great place to spend four years.</p>
<p>An eager, adaptable kid can do well in different sorts of places, I think. </p>
<p>Anyway, didn't mean to ramble. I was exactly where you are a year ago, and things worked out wonderfully, so I will hope for the same for your son!</p>
<p>Some of this depends on the program the student ends up pursuing. At some larger universities, some departments are quite small, and students end up with the same "sense of community" that smaller schools seem to have. DS goes to a large private university. He does NOT know (nor does he need to know) the full 30,000 students who are there. His department is only 600 students and that includes all the grad students too. The reality is that he knows and is friendly with a large number of the students in his major...and especially those that are in his class, or play his instrument (music major). DD is looking at a number of schools from the very small Davidson to the very large U of South Carolina. She likes them both equally. The adcom at U of South Carolina gave DD a piece of advice...you can make a large college small (with your major or other interests that will define your friendships etc)...but you can't make a small school large. DD wonders what will happen, for example, at a small school like Davidson IF she doesn't find her niche with the 400 freshmen (200 women). It's not like there will be another 400 to choose from somewhere else on campus. She goes to a rather small high school and this is one of the downsides to the school...she thinks.</p>
<p>Bridie - We were in a similar situation as you. We were basically looking a one state school in our state and many LACs. However, when my son changed his mind about his major (this December) we started reviewing the LAC's and found out that they are much more limited in the classes and majors offered. Every single LAC he had been admitted to no longer fit the criteria of what he wants to study today. I would recommend that you take a careful look at what classes are offered & make sure the list of majors is pretty good. By the way there are some state universities (that offer everything) that have great honor's programs which gives the students a smaller/similar feel to a LAC. By the way, at one of the LAC they offered my son the chance to design his own major which is also another area you could look into. Good luck!</p>
<p>I agree with all the positives that have been expressed about LACs -- accesssible profs who are dedicated to teaching and mentoring undergrads, close community, etc. But those communities vary widely in character from LAC to LAC, I think, and when a school is small and/or physically isolated, students need to be sure they have chosen the "right" community for them. I think an overnight visit during an ordinary period (not during admitted student days) is really important to get an accurate feel for the nature of the community.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your responses. They are all helpful. My son doesn't really have a clear idea of what he wants to major in. He may want to pursue business in the future, though that could be in grad school. I think he is looking for a broadening experience first. He has been accepted into the honors program at the large U, and with the honors housing, that might make it feel more intimate. The comment about being able to make a large U smaller but not vica-versa hits home.</p>
<p>wjb, I agree with your premises about visiting. D had very different experiences in visiting three schools that look similar on paper: Barnard, Wellesley, and Smith. You aren't spending four years of your life on paper, you're spending four years in a specific place with specific people.</p>
<p>I agree about visiting.
Early on in the great college search, there was a school that my child initially had very high hopes for and very much wanted to like...but didn't, at all. It was probably the longest and most useful disappointing trip I've ever taken. </p>
<p>This may not be important for all kids, but mine really liked to sit in on classes. I think there was a sort of assessment of how it felt to be part of that class, and with that group of students. Afterwards I heard how the students interacted with each other, and with the professors, and how similar classes were taught at different schools, these sorts of things. This does take up time, though. (While waiting, I read some good books, observed campuses in action, got lost a couple of times, and did have some interesting conversations with passersby who stopped to chat!)</p>
<p>Sometimes visiting isn't an option, in which case I suppose a student has to ask lots of questions and make the best possible choices with as much information as he can find. </p>
<p>Bridie, I should have written this earlier--congrats to your son on his acceptances, and admissions to the honors programs! It must feel great to have those in hand!</p>