@ucbalumnus Yes, Harvey Mudd and MIT certainly have some good liberal arts courses. And there are certainly some kids for whom math and science is to be avoided at all costs as you mention. But that wasn’t the point.
The point was, kids who are undecided about going pure STEM ( which I would say MIT is) might want to do science at a liberal arts school that fully supports things other than science. You can argue that English or poli sci at MIT is great and maybe it is, but I think few would choose that path intentionally. And taking astrophysics as a non-science major at a top school is very different than taking a real science course at MIT and vice versa. The core programs check off boxes so students can show that they can write, know math etc. But that doesn’t mean they are good at it. Lol. That’s why some avoid the heavy core curriculum at all costs and others love it.
Harvey Mudd is actually one of the few that can accommodate a student who is strong in all fields. It’s not a matter of taking a course at MIT in English. It’s a matter of exploring multiple fields any of which are equally strong and validated by the school. An English major at MIT is not going to have that sense IMO. I certainly wouldn’t pay for English at MIT if my kid could take it at Amherst or another school.
This goes back to my point, which is a kid who is strong in STEM and liberal arts has a hard time choosing. Many programs in STEM (engineering in particular) are very rigid with little room to take other classes. This can also be true of some liberal arts programs with a core. But it is very true of many STEM programs.
The OP asked if someone would be disadvantaged by taking STEM at an LAC. With few exceptions, I don’t think they will be. Some would just prefer to choose to go to a large University so they can change majors and paths. But other students might prefer the LAC. Personally, I think the LAC’s are more interesting if a student is undecided. Kids want to be in a place where there are others on the same path.
My kids still in the early stages so I don’t really know if they’d go to a small or large school. I do know that if they aren’t 100% certain about going into STEM, I’m not sending them to MIT even if they got a full ride.