<p>I am just starting to look at schools with my daughter that are within a 4 hour radius of us (Madison WI). She really has no clue where she wants to go size wise, we are just starting our visits. </p>
<p>She is a pretty bright kid, 28 ACT, top 10% of class, 3.85 GPA with some advanced classes. Excellent writer. Not particularly into the sciences or math but does well in them.</p>
<p>Any thoughts on how a good LAC would prepare a student for Grad Schools, as far as the undergrad work goes in Psycology (Counsoling), Creative Writng, or Studio Art as compared to a "State U"? I did notice a couple of LAC's have 24 hour access to art facilities if you are in classes - I assume you dont find that at a Big U? The Grad work would most likely be in Counsoling Psycology.</p>
<p>Some of the LAC's on our list are; Lawrence, Beloit, Viterbo, Coe College, Cornell (IA), Grinell (Reach) St Olaf, St Thomas, or similar in Minnesota.</p>
<p>The larger schools that I am comparing would be either Wisconsin - Madison-Eau Claire-LaCrosse, Minnesota - Twin Cities - Winnona State, or University of Iowa.</p>
<p>They're prepare LACs just as good as any undergrad university. It's actually her preference. If she likes to be in a small classroom size and have less intimidation of class discussion, then a LAC would be just perfect! If she wants a big college with football, then maybe UWmadison would be a fit!</p>
<p>If you're open to Minnesota, I think you should also consider Carelton and Macalester.</p>
<p>BTW, I'm a big proponent of LACs. They teach you how to think, how to write, tackle new problems; you get to know your professors and classmates well. Once only for the "elite gentlemen" of society, this distinctive form of education is now more accessible. LACs disproportionally produce CEOs, U.S. presidents, Peace Corps volunteers, Pulitzer prizes, scholarships, Ph.Ds, among others.</p>
<p>DJ, I’m a graduate of the University of Michigan (during the last ice age) and my son is a graduate of Williams (2007) and because of his experience I’ve become a convert of the small liberal arts college. </p>
<p>But first a disclaimer: the most important element in determining the right college for any individual is FIT and one size most definitely doesn’t fit all. So visiting a wide variety of sizes, locations, personalities is really important in order to get a personal perspective.</p>
<p>The small LAC was absolutely the right place for my son just as the big public was absolutely the wrong place for me. This is not a universal truth but rather an individual reflection. You can get a wonderful education at many large universities, but you have to be assertive in a squeaky wheel way that many 18 year olds are not prepared for. </p>
<p>LACs, like universities large and medium, vary widely in academic caliber. The top LACs send their graduates to the top professional schools and graduate programs. To me the key difference is that at an LAC you can really get to know your professors. They may be world-class writers or researchers but at an LAC they are teachers first and in the small classroom environment it’s fairly effortless to form long lasting personal relationships.</p>
<p>My son is planning to apply to graduate school in a few months. His problem is not lack of people to ask to write recommendations but too many choices: he just had so many close, supportive relationships with professors.</p>
<p>Psychology is a popular major at most LACs – departments are large and well funded at many colleges. For Studio Art and Creative Writing I’d add Kenyon in the mid-west. If you’re interested in venturing farther afield, look at Williams, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Skidmore, Conn College and Smith.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies so far. I will follow the other LAC treads to.</p>
<p>As far as Carelton and Macalester, we haven't crossed them off the list, but she has some concerns about the fact that she would statistically be in the bottom 20% of the class so assumes (maybe rightly so) that they would be more challenging - as in "too" challenging. From just reading up on them and others we get the feeling that they are potentially more "serious" and less "artsy and creative"? I dont know if that is accurate or not.</p>
<p>RE: the note about Kenyon - it looks great too, but she seems set to not go that far. I wonder of that will change after her first year away? I think partially she figures that if we have a lot of excellent choices close (1-4 hours) to home, why be so far away. Time will tell ;-).</p>
<p>My S had no interest at all in a big state school. He has many friends going to U of Mich and he considered it. Once we drove onto the campus, he hated the "vibe" and he focused on smaller schools.</p>
<p>…but for every student that thrives in the intimate setting of an LAC, there is another that would do better in a larger comprehensive university..where grad research opportunities exist…perhaps an attached medical school….Formula SAE and DARPA challenges…things that typically don’t exist at an LAC. And don’t forget classes that are “affordable” …students can explore a variety of fields that they may not be able to otherwise….classes that include grad school offerings. When my son graduated last year from a “large state school” he had 24 credit-hours of graduate classes…several that were not even in his major.</p>
<p>It all depends on the student….one size does not fit all.</p>
<p>Another school to look at is Valparaiso in norther Indiana as well as Earlham, also in Indiana although Earlham might be more than 4 hours away.</p>