I wish I applied to a LAC

Applying to College Admission Stories
1

This isn’t a lesson or preach, but more of my personal vent. I’m a high school senior, done with college apps. No turning back, what’s done is done. So I should just relax and let fate run its course, right? That’s what I thought at first, but I couldn’t shake off a nagging feeling that I probably missed applying to what may be a perfect college experience.

I can’t define what my perfect college is, since I didn’t really visit any schools besides a tour in one of them, but honestly it didn’t give me much information other than the beauty of the campus. My parents and I have neither the time nor money to afford college visits, and to muddy the waters more, I go to a relatively small, religiously-affiliated, all-boys school, so college visits would’ve helped so much more I think.

I didn’t feel like applying to any other schools because, for one thing, I was already applying to 12, so application fees were one of my concerns. Of course, only now do I realize that the fees are the LEAST of the costs when it comes to college. Btw, I’m not low-income, so my family can afford those fees. A couple schools didn’t even cost a thing to apply, so I don’t know what I was thinking. I thought I was casting a wide net – 4 safeties, 4 matches, 4 reaches. But they’re all research universities. Though their websites and CC did help me feel like those were great choices, those feelings are still limited to hearsay. I kept hearing about how small LAC’s were, so I tended to shy away from them because I feared being cooped up in a small cage. But then I noticed something: when CCers describe schools as “small,” they usually mean the student population. What I was worried about was spatial size, and while it’s common sense that there’s a pretty strong correlation between space and students, I imposed the student population definition over my spatial one. There’s a college nearby with 2000 students, but I thought it felt too small; later I realized that campus was only 100 acres. When I re-researched some of the LAC’s I had in mind, I was shocked to find that some of their campuses were larger than one of my reaches and a few of my matches; one even had 1000 acres with less than 1800 students.

After I learned about the campus size, I started rethinking about them. Now I value close friendships, community-feels, and great education from professors themselves with small class sizes, and although I can surely find those among my 12 schools, I still can’t help but feel as though LAC’s have those traits to a whole different magnitude. If I’m wrong in this assumption, please don’t hesitate to disprove me if you wish. . But I read a few blogs online from people who attended relatively small research universities and ended up wishing they chose an LAC.

Bottom line: I wish I could’ve just covered all bases in my college apps. Oh well. This must be a buyer’s remorse phase.

2

A lot of people second guess themselves after sending out their college applications. You shouldn’t feel alone in questioning your decisions. At the same time, you shouldn’t stress too much over this particular worry. All you really need to do is invest in developing a community around you at whatever research university you attend and it will immediately shrink down to the size of a small LAC in your day-to-day perception. I attended a large research college as an undergrad and even though it was overwhelming at first, by the time I got into my major and made friends through work on campus and extracurricular activities, the school became very comfortable and intimate for me. You are going to be fine – better than fine – you are going be great because you sound like a thoughtful person. Best wishes.

3

Thanks a lot, and I appreciate that you read my entire post. I guess it’s just anxiety and I’ll try to live my life these next 6-7 months before the big move-in, wherever that may be.

4

What is a lac?

5

@0nesten- a liberal arts college

6

I feel you, Juvenis! I actually applied to 17 schools (LOL) because I was so paranoid that I couldn’t get in even one. To be fair, I applied to all Ivies, Stanford, Berkeley, etc.

I got accepted to my safeties UIUC, and UW-Madison. But in hindsight, I realized that I should’ve applied to more “match” schools where I’d fit (including top LACs) than just the top univs in the rankings.

7

@Juvenis- The positive is that it may be easier for you to choose between the schools you applied to. Hopefully, once your acceptances are in, you’ll be able to visit some campuses. I bet you’ll be able to feel a sense of community once you step onto campus. And it will feel like a community even at a research uni when you’re able to join a club or activity with others. Many people bond with the other freshmen in their dorms or the people they meet at orientation. I’m a parent and I went to a LAC and it felt so small by the end of my time. I kind of wish I experienced a bigger school. Hang in there!

8

Juvenis, thanks for sharing your story. Regardless of whether you ultimately graduate from a research university or a liberal arts college (too early to say, at this point), always be on the lookout for that “niche” - sometimes even the “big” universities have smaller groups that you discover to be great matches for you.

Also, go through your first few months at uni and assess your experience - you may be correct in that your feelings are simply a result of buyer’s remorse. The great thing about higher education in the United States (though I’m not saying this doesn’t apply to other countries) is that college transfer is possible and a relatively smooth process at that. If, after those first few months, you still find yourself nagged by this regret (I wish I’d applied to more LACs), and you dislike your uni experience, then it may be time to think about transferring.

I wish you all the best as your decisions roll in! :slight_smile: