<p>Just a slightly different point of view:</p>
<p>College is a time for broadening of the mind, experiencing new things, and exposure to new ideas. "Culture" can be important -- but it can be very limiting if the student is too tied to finding like-minded people. So that <em>tolerance</em> notion is very important -- how tolerant is the supposed dominant "culture" of diverse opinions and interests... and how tolerant is your child (and can your child become) of peope with different interest, backgrounds and styles. </p>
<p>I do realize that it is valuable to be very aware of the culture issue before going to a school .... but at the same time sometimes it is valuable to change one's own perspective - and college certainly is the place to begin that journey. Of course we parents don't want our kids to experience that change by taking up a lifestyle of heavy drinking. But change can also be positive. </p>
<p>I personally enjoyed my large university experience in part because it was a place of many "cultures." Different dorms had their own cultures -- and each academic department even had its own culture. I didn't major in what I thought I was most interested in -- I ended up in the department that seemed to have the culture that was the best fit. </p>
<p>But I have a feeling that even a small LAC probably has a variety of subcultures -- its just that some kids may be better than others at seeking them... or even creating them. I mean - lets take the example of a handful of conservative kids on a very liberal campus. One kid might feel very frustrated and out-of-place; another might find that she enjoyed having the liberals as friends and discussing and debating issues; a third might find his own attitudes changing and convert to liberalism; and yet a fourth might found a Young Republicans club on campus and manage to attract a core group of like -minded friends. Obviously this example could extend to any type of "cultural" quality. </p>
<p>I just think that while the culture thing is certainly something that is valuable to be aware of -- it it is only one factor, and not necessarily a deciding factor, in choosing a college.</p>