<p>Many states have established public liberal arts colleges within their public university systems. These colleges sometimes serve as honors colleges in addition to providing students with a private liberal arts college experience at a public school price. Examples include St. Mary's College of Maryland and SUNY Geneseo. Others are less selective, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts for example.</p>
<p>I am most familiar with Geneseo, St. Mary's, The College of New Jersey and New College of Florida. All are highly regarded, selective public LACs. I believe that all four would make any Top 5 list of public LACs based on such factors as selectivity, middle 50% SAT/ACT scores and peer assessment. </p>
<p>How many other states have public liberal arts colleges and how do they compare to the four already mentioned?</p>
<p>I think William and Mary is the #1 Public LAC, second oldest institution in the country.</p>
<p>yeah william and mary wins here</p>
<p>Let's see....there is Montevallo, Evergreen State, College of Charleston....Is Mary Washington considered Liberal arts? Christopher Newport....</p>
<p>
[quote]
I believe that all four would make any Top 5 list of public LACs based on such factors as selectivity, middle 50% SAT/ACT scores and peer assessment.
[/quote]
Well, US News does not agree. According to their rankings, the highest-ranked public schools among "national liberal arts colleges" are:</p>
<p>"Top Schools":
New College of Florida
Virginia Military Institute
St. Mary's College of Maryland</p>
<p>"Third Tier":
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
University of North Carolina - Asheville
University of Minnesota - Morris</p>
<p>US News puts William and Mary (which has more than 7,000 students) in the "national university" category, and The College of New Jersey and SUNY-Geneseo (which have more than 5,000 students) in the "master's university-north" category.</p>
<p>For a list of other public LACs, try looking at the membership of [url=<a href="http://www.coplac.org/members.htm%5DCOPLAC%5B/url">http://www.coplac.org/members.htm]COPLAC[/url</a>], the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.</p>
<p>Corbett, Yes, it looks like US News doesn't agree with me and vice versa. I think the philosophy behind Geneseo and TCNJ, and their focus on undergraduate education puts them firmly in the same camp with St. Mary's of Maryland and New College despite the difference in size. </p>
<p>I do agree with US News that the College of William and Mary is best compared with other highly regarded public universities such as UVA, UNC-CH, SUNY Binghampton, etc. </p>
<p>As for VMI? I don't see VMI as a traditional liberal arts school anymore than I view the Citadel, West Point or Norwich University are traditional LACs. But that's just one guy's personal opinion.</p>
<p>BTW, thank you for the link.</p>
<p>I'd def. put UNCA at the top.</p>