<p>Hi, i'm currently a sophmore at my university. Recently I read about what a Liberal Arts Education can truly do for your life. So as a junior this fall I need to decide whether I should stay and continue to do school at my current university or begin school next fall at Kalamazoo college. Is this a smooth move?</p>
<p>why kalamazoo? have you been accepted here already? if not, why not look at some other LAC's? i'm a strong believer in LAC undergraduate education (see my username) and was just admitted to my top choice for transfer from Penn State. I couldn't be happier, but choosing to transfer can be a difficult decision.<br>
to help you better, would you mind telling us your stats, your current school, what you like and dislike at your current school, what you might appreciate more at an LAC (especially kalamazoo?)?</p>
<p>What an LAC education can truly do for your life? </p>
<p>Did I miss something? What can it do ?</p>
<p>Well my current stat and GPA is not that good because of my unmanageable skills at my current commuter school: Oakland University. I have a 3.2 gpa from OU but since I got screwed a couple of times at a nearby community colleges, it prob dropped my GPA to 2.7. I was frustrated as hell for 2 years so I doubted I could get into a top prestigious LAC school. </p>
<p>what i dont' like. The fact that it's TOO close to home and that being at home has so much temptations that I've been struggling for so long. I need an escape. moving away from home also makes me wonder what dorm life is like and i heard you grow more mature (at least I think so, maybe for some...).</p>
<p>Also the fact that Liberal Arts can do much more than a BS, I think the idea that it's a life education.</p>
<p>I just don't want to miss the opportunity to see what a truly amazing liberal arts college is.</p>
<p>BTW i'm majoing in computer science</p>
<p>NO i have not even applied to Kal and it's prob too late for Fall 08, oh well I';ll just work full time throughout FALL 08 and Wint 08 and get in their next year.</p>
<p>well, just work on fixing your gpa in the coming semesters...it look like most successful applicants to that school have at least a 3.0. make sure you're active and dedicated to some respectable clubs or activities outside of class as well. from now until application time, you need to do your research on kalamazoo (and maybe a few other schools? if you can bring up your gpa a bit, you may have a lot of options. look at USNews.com:</a> America's Best Colleges 2008: Liberal Arts Colleges: Top Schools
and get a feel for the admissions requirements and average stats of admitted students at these schools, straight down to the tier 4/unranked schools lists: USNews.com:</a> America's Best Colleges 2008: Liberal Arts Colleges. learn about the different atmospheres and strengths at each college - they can be radically different; an LAC is not an LAC is not an LAC. that way you'll develop opinions on the type of school and environment you want (you can be a resident at most colleges and universities, there's a lot more to it than that).</p>
<p>also try this: Counselor-O-Matic</a> Academics on The Princeton Review</p>
<p>basic reasons to prefer LACs: i personally love and believe i will benefit from the tight-knit community feeling at most LAC's, which tend to be much smaller than the average university. classes are always taught by professors, not TA's/grad students/whatever, and there's usually a low student-faculty ratio. the focus is on the undergrads, who are privy to a wide variety of opportunities not as often available at universities where grad students receive the most privilege (LACs will generally have few if any grad students). the curriculum is more focused on educating and bettering the student holistically. it allows them to grow and have not just a depth but breadth of knowledge. LAC's prepare students to be more than just career-ready; they ask students to have a meaningful existence full of critical thinking and questioning.
of course, ivies and other universities are great schools (i hope to do one of my Ph.D.'s at Brown and the other at Columbia), but for the undergraduate experience i find the benefits of an LAC to outweigh those at a large university, even if Cornell may be more of a household name than, say, Pomona.
i'm sure some harvard-bound kiddo is dying to debate some of the things i said above, and i grant that i did not word my paragraph as best i could (i'm really tired right now), but i think the debate would be healthy for the op's sake - (s)he will get a clearer view of the advantages of each system.</p>
<p>regardless, good luck, firecube, and i highly suggest that you look around at the options available to you.</p>
<p>Hey hey wait I have one more thing?</p>
<p>But I don't want to miss the experience at a kalamazoo college and the admissions told me that the deadline has passed for transfer applicants. IF you were in my shoe, what would you do?</p>
<p>would you work or do something for the fall 08 and winter 09 semester and go to Kalamazoo collge and end up graduating late or should I transfer to a college that I already got accepted (Lawrence Tech University)?</p>
<p>Lawrence Tech is a private college with pretty small class sizes and I seem to like it there as well but not sure how it would out benefit a LAC.</p>
<p>BTW Lawrence Tech and other big universities have the so called "Liberal ARts programs". What does this mean and how is it different from an actual LAC, for example, I want you to check out the school's site: Lawrence</a> Tech - Academics and Majors - Liberal Arts</p>