“but the idea that one would be intellectually limited in the highly selective LAC model is, to me, a stretch.”
As I said, it’s relative, and it depends how picky you are. There are objectively a lot more liberal arts choices every semester at Harvard than at Middlebury. There may be more at Ohio State than at Harvard. How much value you place on those additional choices – especially once you are advanced in your field – is subjective.