<p>The LAC model tends to be found at smaller schools and tends to be undergraduate focused, with small faculty led classes even at the lower division level (although if you have buckets of AP and college credit, you may end up skipping many lower division courses, so the benefit may be less for you in this respect). In contrast, the RU model of many big schools involves lower division courses with big faculty led lectures with TA-led discussions, or sometimes small TA-led primary classes. Upper division classes are usually smaller faculty led classes, though they may still be supplemented by TA-led discussions at RU model schools.</p>
<p>LACs with strong science, or any ABET-accredited engineering, are relatively uncommon, though some do exist. Bucknell, Harvey Mudd, Swarthmore have engineering; Carleton is generally considered good in science. Some smaller schools which are not generally seen as LACs may be closer to the LAC model than the RU model. If you are super-advanced and may want to take graduate level courses as an undergraduate, the RU model may allow for that better than the LAC model.</p>