LAC or University....a personal choice?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello. Most of the schools I am applying to are LACs, but now I'm starting to question if they're right for me. I have read that making the choice between an LAC and a research university has a lot to do with your major....I am considering studying either Anthropology (cultural), Sociology, Human Development and Social Relations, and Spanish as either a second major or minor. I know Anthropology is basically based on research, but at the undergrad level?? I would definitely do an internship....could I get research experience through an internship from an LAC?</p>

<p>Now, about my personality, because the choice has a lot to do with that. I'm pretty introverted. I only have 1 close friend out of a school of 800, and I like to be close with my teachers. I like to talk to them and ask for advice. I also like to ask questions in class. I dislike group projects and I love small classes, though they're rare at my school. (Most of my classes are capped at 30!)</p>

<p>However, the thing that I'd be worried about with an LAC would be the lack of opportunities, social-wise and career-wise. The LAC I'm considering now, Kalamazoo, only has 1300 students. It's not much larger than my current high school. Basically I'm worried that I will not make friends.....is it easier to make friends in a small school or a large school? There are also stupid things like fewer food choices, fewer dorm choices, fewer on-campus activities, fewer facilities, etc. They aren't important, but they do make a difference!</p>

<p>Career-wise, opportunities like research, study abroad, classes, majors (if I wanted to change my major at an LAC, there aren't as many choices!) etc. I think the lack of class elective choices would be the biggest downer for me.....</p>

<p>What are your suggestions given my possible majors and personality? Do my majors demand a research university setting or would an LAC do?</p>

2

<p>What do you mean by “has a lot to do with your major?” You’re not going to go to an LAC if you want to be an engineer. If a school doesn’t offer the subject you want to major in, you wouldn’t go there. Anthropology and sociology and psychology are most likely going to be offered by any school, LAC or university.</p>

<p>I share your predicament, almost exactly. I know that at LACs, undergrads do all the research (because there are no grad students). You don’t need an internship to do research. If you want small classes, you’re gonna have a harder time at a big university, although humanities/social sciences classes will be somewhat smaller than lower-level science classes.</p>

<p>You say that LACs may lack social opportunities, and you also say that you are close with one person at your school. Are you okay with that? Do you want more friends to choose from? If so, a university will obviously have way more people to meet, but you’ll need to put yourself out there more than at a small college. As an introvert, this may be more difficult, which makes LACs ideal, socially. </p>

<p>What exactly do you intend to do with your degree in anthropology/sociology/psychology? Careers in such fields almost certainly require graduate school, so going to an LAC could serve you well. I mean, asking if an LAC lacks opportunities “career-wise” is pretty pointless if you don’t even know what you do want to do. Bachelor’s degrees in any of the fields you mentioned will not give you tons of career choices, so it doesn’t really matter in that aspect because you’d probably go to grad school.</p>

<p>Course selection is the biggest thing I’m worried about at a liberal arts college. However, that seems to be the main concrete advantage a university has over an LAC in this case: more classes to choose from. But since your interests are somewhat varied, does that really make a difference?</p>

3

<p>My D is at a small midwestern LAC, I went to a gigantic state university, so I know something about both kinds of schools. No one can make this decision for you, but here are some of my observations.</p>

<p>The upside of LACs:
Student/teacher ratio: at D’s school, it’s 12:1. By contrast, I remember attending lectures in a 1000-seat auditorium, and “small” classes were 40 or so. </p>

<p>The LAC mission tends to include a broad general education and developing critical and creative thinking; in some sense, LACs value learning for its own sake. Universities, of course, also value learning, but they lean toward preparation for a profession.</p>

<p>Placement into graduate programs is something that LACs really shine at; many of them have stellar records at this.</p>

<p>LAC classes are taught by professors; at D’s college, students are on a first-name basis with profs. At a university, it’s unlikely the professor will even know your name, and most classes are taught by TAs, who also won’t know your name. </p>

<p>Many LACs have well-developed study abroad programs, and students are actively encouraged to take advantage of this priceless opportunity. At D’s school, a semester abroad is the norm; 2/3 of the students do it.</p>

<p>Advising: D gets together with her advisor twice a month. I met mine once in 4 years.</p>

<p>For some (like my D), universities feel too large and impersonal, even overwhelming. Her LAC feels intimate and nurturing to her.</p>

<p>With budget cuts at state universities, many students are having a difficult time getting into classes. LACs are more flexible and more customer-oriented, so to speak. They can usually make room for you.</p>

<p>The upside of universities:
More majors and more classes, obviously. You preserve flexibility if you decide you want to change majors.</p>

<p>More resources of almost every kind. More sports, both spectator and participant. More student activites: clubs, recreation, food, concerts and shows. Big universities tend to be located in big cities, so you’re within striking distance of all the city has to offer. (I will say, though, that at D’s LAC they make sure there is something happening on campus frequently – concerts, festivals, guest speakers.)</p>

<p>For some students (like me), the big university is exciting, with its sheer size and limitless opportunities to do things and meet people. I would have found an LAC to be stifling.</p>

<p>On-campus job recruiting: Large companies are more apt to go where there are large numbers of students, and that’s a university.</p>

<p>Course selection: Naturally, a university will have far more courses, both major and elective. I suggest you go to Kalamazoo’s website and browse last year’s course catalog and see what you think. [Kalamazoo</a> College Academic Catalog](<a href=“Kalamazoo Curriculum | Kalamazoo College – Academic Catalog”>Academic Catalog | Kalamazoo College)</p>

<p>Social:
My D and I are both somewhat introverted, but we both managed to find our social niche. You will too, but the two types of schools offer different ways of meeting and getting to know people.</p>

<p>In my case, I didn’t socialize with classmates; my friends were all in the dorm, and of course when you’re living with people, even if you’re shy you’re bound to find one or two people you like to hang out with. And I did like the anonymity that a big U provides – I’d rarely run into people I knew when I was going to class, for example, and I kind of liked that.</p>

<p>OTOH, I think it’s probably easier to find friends at an LAC, simply because you’re going to see people in more places. The much smaller campus means that a girl in your English class may also live on your dorm floor, or you may see her in the dining hall or at a concert. My D is very active in one of the student performing-arts groups, and most of her friendships have come from that activity.</p>

4

<p>Lasma gives a good summary here, but for more on LAC vs. Universities, just do a search on here. This topic has been covered exhaustively.</p>

<p>If Kalamazoo may be too small for you at 1,300, look at some of the LACs that are in the 2,000 student range like Oberlin. Or small universities like Rice.</p>

<p>Basically, if you are not doing engineering, nursing, or business, choosing a LAC is really a matter of personal preference: I have a kid at a LAC and another at a University. Both are in the right schools for the right reasons and are very happy with their decisions.</p>

5

<p>FYI- Several LAC’s do have engineering (Bucknell, Lafayette, Union)</p>

6

<p>Wow, you got some excellent responses above which should be put into a CC FAQ!</p>

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<p>The high school/college size comparison is misleading. In high school, the 9th graders are generally not friends with the Seniors, but in college all ages mix from day 1, so a 1300 college will seem much larger/social than a 1300 high school.</p>

<p>Also, at K College, the common dining hall and lack of Greek system help engender mixing and many opportunities for making new friends. As well, during foreign study you will become friends with people you otherwise wouldn’t when you go through this experience together.</p>

7

<p>Not all universities have all the downsides described by LasMa (1000-seat lectures, professors who never know your name, most classes taught by TAs, etc.) Most of the top 25 or so “national” universities offer an undergraduate experience that is similar to LACs, along with the benefits of having graduate programs (as well as more of just about everything.) </p>

<p>Those ~25 universities are all very selective, but if you are a strong candidate for Kalamazoo, you might have a shot at some of them. The University of Chicago’s Anthropology and Sociology departments are among the best in the world. The affiliated National Opinion Research Center (NORC, [National</a> Opinion Research Center - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Opinion_Research_Center]National”>NORC at the University of Chicago - Wikipedia)) offers undergraduate internships ([Summer</a> Internship](<a href=“http://www.norc.org/Careers/Summer+Internship/]Summer”>http://www.norc.org/Careers/Summer+Internship/)). Chicago is a little less selective than the Ivies (especially, I think, with respect to ECs). An introvert who likes to ask questions in class would be right at home there. Chicago offers an EA application option.</p>

<p>You might also want to consider the honors college program at your state flagship. Or consider a LAC that is part of a consortium. Bryn Mawr College (women only) seems to have an excellent Anthropology department (it graduates more future PhDs per capita in Anthro than any other school in America). Students can cross-register at other consortium schools (Haverford, Swarthmore, and UPenn). It’s close to all the internship opportunities Philadelphia has to offer, has a beautiful campus, is not super impossibly selective… but only accepts women. If you’re male and don’t quite have the stats for Haverford or Swarthmore, consider Pitzer College (one of the Claremont consortium schools) or Hampshire (part of the Amherst 5-college consortium).</p>

8

<p>Yes, I would applying for grad school.</p>

9

<p>I’m also applying to UChicago. However, I’m not planning on getting accepted there. Another thing as for choosing a specific school: I’d like to stay close to West Michigan. Kzoo is perfect; it’s not too long of a drive for me to come home on the weekends. UChicago is a bit farther at 3 hours…I’d probably be too busy to come home on the weekends, anyway!</p>

10

<p>Have you considered the University of Michigan. It is obviously a large university, but its Anthropology, Sociology and Romance Languages departments are considered quite good and since those majors are not that popular, intermediate and advanced level classes in those majors tend to be relatively small.</p>

11

<p>^ Agree. If you’re a Michigan resident, why wouldn’t UM be high on your list?</p>

<p>Another good LAC for Anthropology is Beloit. That would add another 100 mi. or so west from Chicago … but in other respects you might like it as well as Kalamazoo.</p>

12

<p>

I disagree. It is maybe possible to emulate LACs in terms of academics - my largest class had 80 students, nearly all had fewer than 30, and many had 10 or fewer. Admittedly, I majored in two extremely unpopular departments; courses in economics and political science were not nearly so small.</p>

<p>It is much more difficult (arguably impossible), however, for a university to emulate the social scene of a LAC. A very small university like Rice might manage it, perhaps, especially since it has a residential college system. Larger colleges like Harvard or my alma mater (Duke) are quite different in feel from LACs. There is a huge difference between a college of 1200 students and one of 5500 students. You also have to factor in graduate and professional students, which often do not share the same classes or professors but are often using the same common areas and add to a larger feel. That’s not to say that such universities are necessarily overwhelming, of course - it’s pretty unusual to walk to class without bumping into at least a half dozen people you know. Still, they’re large enough that it’s easier to get lost in the crowd.</p>

13

<p>Well, if you want to come home on the weekends… you’d have to stay in/near Michigan, which means your options as far as LACs are pretty limited.</p>

<p>[List</a> of liberal arts colleges in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“List of liberal arts colleges in the United States - Wikipedia”>List of liberal arts colleges in the United States - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>And yes, UMichigan is a great school, but I’m not sure it would really fit rbouwens needs/requirements.</p>

14

<p>smdporfavor, from a cost, academic and location perspective, the University of Michigan is ideal. Michigan’s Anthropology department is typically considered the best in the nation. With only a few students majoring in that field, their contact with faculty is reasonable. </p>

<p>I agree that Michigan is not the ideal size, but in most other ways, I think it is a good school to apply to given his resident status and choice in major.</p>

15

<p>Okay. It’s got its pros and cons, I agree.</p>

16

<p>I agree with Warblersrule. A university with 7,000 undergrads and thousands of graduate students cannot come close to duplicating the LAC atmosphere. The only top universities that come close to offering a LACish atmosphere are Brown, Dartmouth and Rice. All other top universities are far to research oriented and have too many graduate students to givem them a LAC feel.</p>

17

<p>I have considered UMichigan. The one thing that I’d be worried about with a larger campus would be the sense of “chaos.” Not chaos, but just a lot of people going to a lot of places. I’m not looking for a “busy” campus; do you understand? I’d rather have it be peaceful, quiet, and laid-back.</p>

18

<p>Another reason why I’m doubting UMichigan would be the social “feel.” From what I heard, it’s a big frat/sorority scene, though I’m sure they’d be easy to avoid…or not? I’m not sure…it’s also a top “jock school” on the Princeton Review, and even things like hs pep rallies drive me insane. The last pep rally I went to, I brought a book. Idk, maybe my college spirit would be different because it would be like I picked my school instead of going to a local public hs. As for parties at UMich dorms, are they avoidable? If I have classes the next day, I’m definitely going to want to be in bed by 10 PM. No noise. No roomate night partners. No passed-out roomates. That’s one thing I could not deal with!!</p>

19

<p>rbouwens, you will find that many of your fears about Michigan, although certainly valid, are unecessary. I will start by saying that (1) Michigan is not a “party” school and (2) the Greek scene does not dominate social life on campus. In fact, only 15% of Michigan undergrads belong to the Greek system. </p>

<p>This said, like at most universities, alcohol does play a significant part of social life at Michigan. However, you can request a dry floor in a dorm where students who would rather avoid heavy drinkers are housed. I personally do not drink and I never had any trouble fitting in or having fun at Michigan. </p>

<p>As you know, sports play a big part of life at the University, thanks to its very long and rich Football and Hockey traditions. However, there are many students at the University who truly do not care for sports. Nobody will force you to attend the games or participate in any of the festivities associated with sporting events. Do keep in mind that you could change your attitude in this regard. Growing up, I never really cared much for such things, but after attending my first football game at Michigan (reluctantly I might add), I was hooked! </p>

<p>Although Michigan is very large, the campus is well laid out and buildings well spread out. As such, even though Michigan will always feel large, it does not usually feel claustrophobic or overwhelming. You have plenty of open spaces to relax and avoid the masses.</p>

<p>Clearly, Michigan is not the ideal fit for you. I think Chicago is. However, I know you can find your niche at the University. Given Michigan’s strengths in your fields of study (Michigan is usually ranked among the top 5 nationally in Anthropology, Sociology and the Romance Languages) and the relatively low cost of attendence, I can’t see how you can avoid applying to it.</p>

20

<p>Ok, I think you’ve just convinced me to apply. Before I was seriously considering applying, and I even wrote one of the essays for the Supplement. Then, I think I just became overwhelmed and gave up given my interests. Now, I think I will try again.</p>