<p>Hi , I am from CA and I would really like to get some info about Liberal Arts Colleges. </p>
<p>so here are a few of my questions.
Please don’t be offended because I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT MEAN TO BE RUDE </p>
<li><p>how does LIberal arts collges differ from other none liberal arts colleges ?</p></li>
<li><p>Coming from an asian background I’ve heard mainly about HYPM and their reputation but I have never heard of, until now, Amherst or Claremont MC . so which would u account for being more prestigious Amherst or Harvard ? </p></li>
<li><p>Finally what subjects are LAC’s "excel " at ? ( such as MIT is known for engineering) </p></li>
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<p>thank you for your help and again I don’t mean to be rude and If i sound ignorant, please accept my apologies. </p>
<p>have a nice day =)</p>
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<li>At their core, liberal arts colleges seek to develop intimate learning environments where extensive interaction between faculty and students and among students themselves fosters a community of serious discourse. Small class sizes, a primary emphasis on individualized instruction, and a faculty that is dedicated to teaching undergraduates represent the foundation of learning at these institutions.</li>
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<p>2.Harvard and Amherst are both equally prestigious institutions in academic circles, however, Harvard is probably better known outside academic circles. </p>
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<li>Most LAC’s excel in liberal subjects like art, English, history, and political science</li>
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<p>P.S- Your not rude or ignorant for asking a question. Not long ago I had to ask all the same questions you asked :)</p>
<p>When considering liberal arts colleges (LAC’s), watch claims of small classes, and small faculty student ratios. Look to see what the real class size distributions will be. Are there a disproportionate number of very small classes in one area that will skew the statistics. Look to see how many full time faculty PhD’s there are (particularly in any area that may be of interest to you) as opposed to the total number of PhD’s. For some time, many schools (Amherst included) use a number of visiting or otherwise non-tenured professors to handle courses in various subjects. Some truly are visiting and are excellent; some could more accurately be characterized as temporary or itinerant and stink but their presence keeps the numbers artificially low.</p>
<p>The LAC’s also tend to be stronger academically in the non-science areas. For example, Amherst cites stats on the number of grads who attend medical schools within a couple of years of graduation. Why? Because the course selections (breadth and depth) may not be as ideal for a pre-med curriculum. Thus, the student needs to do some post graduation time picking up courses or otherwise improving their science credentials. On the other hand, Poli Sci, econ, and LJST (more traditional areas for a LAC) are very strong. There is no right or wrong; just different AND what you may think will be your area of interest may prove not to be; keep an open mind.</p>