<p>Not necessarily. Remember the bread and butter (funding streams) at most research institutions come through the graudate programs so you would be "competing" with grad students for research opportunities where you would be at the bottom of the food chain. </p>
<p>Keep in mind at most LACs the focus is on undergraduate education where you can get plenty of opportunities to work side by side with professors doing research. You can still have opportunities to study and do great research.</p>