I didn’t like the relative restriction of my choices at an elite LAC. They’re great if the student is more flexible about exactly what subjects they want to study, and with whom, and when. I’m not. Professor Y is on sabbatical this year, so there’s no one doing subfield Z. Course X is offered every third year, etc. When the Harvard course catalog, which was the size of War & Peace, came in the mail, I sat down and read it cover to cover. I still have it. I remember how happy I was holding all those possibilities in my hand. YMMV.