Is a Small, Liberal Arts College Right for You

Is a Small, Liberal Arts College Right for YOU?

Read the list of attributes below to see if a smaller college might be the best fit for you. These schools usually have fewer than 4,000 students. The list is taken from Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. (www.ctcl.org) and describes qualities shared by the colleges featured in Loren Pope’s acclaimed book, Colleges That Change Lives.

· Low student-to-faculty ratios that foster collaboration, engaged learning, and personal attention. Classes are taught by professors, not TAs.

· Faculty are dedicated and passionate about teaching, advising, and mentoring undergraduate students.

· A commitment to undergraduate education that focuses on the liberal arts and sciences. Opportunities for undergraduate research are prevalent.

· A living and learning environment that is primarily residential and emphasizes the benefits of community, personal growth, participation, and involvement.

· Smaller student enrollments that allow students to be known and recognized as individuals.

· Out-of-classroom learning opportunities that provide students with an added perspective about themselves, their interests, and the global community. Participation in internships, study abroad, service to others, and special interest activities is common and expected.

· Holistic admission policies including "test-optional" applications for admission. These schools take into consideration everything about an applicant—not just their numbers on an application.

· Alumni networks that help graduates with professional and career development opportunities as well as foster lifelong friendships based on an involved and engaged undergraduate student experience.

· An ideal living and learning environment where students can meet and exceed their own expectations for personal intellectual growth.

Colleges to Learn More About - a good place to start is by reading the 3 to 4-page descriptions in Loren Pope’s book.

Northeast

· Allegheny College — Meadville, Pennsylvania

· Clark University — Worcester, Massachusetts

· Goucher College — Towson, Maryland

· Hampshire College — Amherst, Massachusetts

· Juniata College — Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

· Marlboro College — Marlboro, Vermont

· McDaniel College — Westminster, Maryland

· St. John's College — Annapolis, Maryland

· Ursinus College —Collegeville, Pennsylvania

South

· Agnes Scott College — Decatur, Georgia

· Birmingham-Southern College — Birmingham, Alabama

· Centre College — Danville, Kentucky

· Eckerd College — St. Petersburg, Florida

· Emory and Henry College — Emory, Virginia

· Guilford College — Greensboro, North Carolina

· Hendrix College — Conway, Arkansas

· Lynchburg College — Lynchburg, Virginia

· Millsaps College — Jackson, Mississippi

· New College of Florida — Sarasota, Florida

· Rhodes College — Memphis, Tennessee

Midwest

· Antioch College — Yellow Springs, Ohio

· Beloit College — Beloit, Wisconsin

· Cornell College — Mount Vernon, Iowa

· Denison University — Granville, Ohio

· Earlham College — Richmond, Indiana

· Hillsdale College — Hillsdale, Michigan

· Hiram College — Hiram, Ohio

· Hope College — Holland, Michigan

· Kalamazoo College — Kalamazoo, Michigan

· Knox College — Galesburg, Illinois

· Lawrence University — Appleton, Wisconsin

· Ohio Wesleyan University — Delaware, Ohio

· St. Olaf College — Northfield, Minnesota

· Wabash College — Crawfordsville, Indiana

· Wheaton College — Wheaton, Illinois

· The College of Wooster — Wooster, Ohio

Southwest

· Austin College — Sherman, Texas

· St. John's College — Santa Fe, New Mexico

· Saint Mary's College of California — Moraga, California

· Southwestern University — Georgetown, Texas

Northwest

· The Evergreen State College — Olympia, Washington

· Reed College — Portland, Oregon

· University of Puget Sound — Tacoma, Washington

· Whitman College — Walla Walla, Washington

· Willamette University — Salem, Oregon

1/18/2013