It’s a four-year investment, so you want to get the most out of your college experience. That’s why you should consider attending a liberal arts college where your personal achievement is important to everyone there, not just to you personally.

However, many people misunderstand what the liberal arts really are. Not only is there confusion about the value of the liberal arts, but many people really don’t understand what it is or where it came from. In order to dispel the confusion, we need to talk about the difference between a liberal arts college and a liberal arts education.

What is a Liberal Arts education?

A liberal arts education is the traditional curriculum originally established by the historically elite colleges, including the Ivy League schools.  The small liberal arts colleges, of course, offer the curriculum, as do most of the nation’s flagship universities–where it is offered in the “college of liberal arts” of the university.  

A liberal arts education was meant to foster a broad, Classical education in which the arts and letters–as well as sciences and social studies–were taught to the intellectual and economic elite of the United States. Originally, Christian theology was also part of the curriculum, as the Ivies were all affiliated with one protestant sect or another.  

The idea was that an education was a broad intellectual exploration to prepare graduates for a deep appreciation of the world and its wonders, including (but not limited to) the arts:  literature, art, music, drama, and the finer things of life. Government and economics also were part of the mix, as were the natural sciences and mathematics. 

History of the liberal arts:  education for the rich and powerful

Consider that back the 18th and 19th centuries, the consumers of this sort of education were the rich, primarily. Most students were sons of wealthy landowners and industrialists and businessmen who would go on to either take over their family businesses or make their mark on their own. While the liberal arts were primarily for men, women’s colleges also sprang up to educate girls in the liberal arts.  Some Ivies had their affiliated women’s colleges (e.g., Radcliffe at Harvard and Pembroke at Brown), while other liberal arts colleges served the educational aspirations of upper class women, including Connecticut College, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Mills, and Bryn Mawr among others.

To put a point to it, a liberal arts education was never meant to be a credential for a job. The people with such an education would not ever have to worry about getting a job. These were, after all, the children of America’s elite (some might even use the word “aristocracy”) who would never really need to worry about being employed, as daddy’s network of the “old boys” would help their sons get a leg up in the economy and help their daughters “marry well” within the upper classes.

The structure of a liberal arts curriculum

Today, the liberal arts curriculum generally denotes a structured 4-year program that is broad in scope and not closely aligned with any particular job or career.  A liberal arts student is required to take a number of “general education” courses that force the student to explore a wide variety of academic disciplines in the arts and humanities, the social sciences, and mathematics and natural sciences. This general education requirement comprises about 25-35% of all courses the student takes in four years of undergraduate study.

The major also comprises about 35% of the courses a student takes. It is a way for the student to specialize in a particular academic discipline to dive more deeply to gain a further appreciation of that discipline and develop a relative expertise.  But in most cases a major is only about 10 courses out of the 32 or so a student may take as an undergraduate, so the expertise is not nearly as deep as one expects in a Masters or Doctoral program. 

Finally, liberal arts students must take a certain number of elective courses, for which there are very few constraints, intellectually or administratively. Students are encourage to follow their own curiosities and learn about whatever tickles their intellectual fancy.  Electives also comprise 25-35% of a student’s course load over four years. 

What a liberal arts education is not

As you can see, the goal of a liberal arts education is not deep specialization in an academic discipline, nor is it specific preparation for a career. As was true historically, anyone wishing to pursue a professional career in things like medicine or law would have to pursue a graduate degree.  

It wasn’t until around the time of the Industrial Revolution that colleges and universities–mostly the public ones–began to offer professional degrees in things like engineering (to fuel the Industrial Revolution itself), agriculture (to apply the sciences to production of crops and livestock), and business (to handle the increasing complexity of enormous corporations). The so-called “land grant” universities were established by state governments (with federal participation) expressly for the purpose of providing educational programs that would propel the economic growth of the nation.

At first, these two different sorts of “liberal arts” and “professional” educational models existed side by side, in that the newer public universities offered both sorts of curricula side by side. In many cases, however, different institutions in a single state focused on one model or the other.  The University of Michigan tended to serve the more “liberal arts” oriented students, with Michigan State offering the more professional programs. The rivalry between the University of Texas at Austin and the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M) is a vestige of these rival forms of education.  

What is a Liberal Arts College?

Simply, a liberal arts college (or LAC) is a school that exclusively offers a liberal arts curriculum. A university may offer a liberal arts curriculum in one unit or school of the institution, but it also likely offers degrees in professions like engineering, business, or nursing.

The fact is that professional models of education have become more and more pervasive since the last quarter of the 18th Century.  Now we have professional, undergraduate degree diplomas in music therapy, dental hygiene, digital marketing, data science, graphic design, kinesiology, and an entire Cheesecake Factory menu of subjects that prepare graduates for very, very specific career trajectories. 

Meanwhile, the liberal arts are dwindling in popularity:  what the heck can you do with a history degree (a whole lot, as it turns out, but more on that later)? Today’s students and their families prefer a college diploma that will have a clear impact on their professional futures and economic security.

The Ivies: the original liberal arts colleges 

The liberal arts still reign supreme at the Ivy League schools and at many of the most prestigious colleges and university in the country. Columbia, in particular, jealously guards its classical liberal arts curriculum. The University of Chicago has a liberal arts core. And most of the Ivies (except Brown) still require general education courses or distributive requirements to ensure a broad education. 

Interestingly, today’s wealthy are still willing to pay for liberal arts degrees. Nearly half–or more–of the students at such liberal arts bastions as Princeton, Yale, Brown, and Dartmouth pay the full price of tuition.  Why?  Because the liberal arts model is where you will surround yourself not only with the knowledge of the ages, but with peers who share your economic class.  The rich still send their kids to study literature, the Classics, art history, and the natural sciences like chemistry, biology, geology, and physics. 

But those who are not as rich or powerful still want their kids to hobnob with the economic elite. But these families with intelligent, motivated students tend to be less enthusiastic about letting their kids study art history or philosophy or even psychology unless there is a clear economic payoff after graduation. 

Professional education now exists some of the Ivies

Fortunately there are some venerable, historic universities that offer more professional majors.  The Ivies, for example, all now offer computer science majors and most offer some form of engineering. Penn offers a business undergraduate degree as well as a full-fledged college of engineering (Dartmouth, by contrast, offers engineering only within the framework of the liberal arts, meaning that engineering students must attend for 5 years in order to get both a BA and a BEng).  Cornell is weird, because it was the original “land grant” institution in New York (think about what might happen if University of Michigan and Michigan State had been rolled into one). Cornell’s several schools are divided into those that are publicly funded (primarily the more professionally oriented schools) while the college of arts and sciences is private:  the two forms of education live side by side on the same campus, but with vastly different priorities and administrative structures. 

Today’s liberal arts colleges

But a certain group of colleges remain steadfastly dedicated to the liberal arts:  the liberal arts colleges.  These are among the oldest and most prestigious schools in the United States.  Many are in the northeast, but the Midwest is home to many (Oberlin, Grinnell, and Macalester, for example). Only a few exist in the the South (Davidson, Millsaps, Wofford, Furman) and the West has fewer still (Colorado College and the Claremont Colleges of California being among the most prestigious in a region dominated by public institutions). 

These colleges steadfastly cling to a form of education that some find outdated or at least intellectually self-indulgent. These colleges maintain their focus on liberal arts majors, even as public institutions eliminate their philosophy, English literature, geography, and foreign language majors in favor of professional degrees in occupational therapy, sports management, and criminology. 

Arguments about the value of a liberal arts education continue to rage, and probably will for quite some time. Part of the background noise behind these arguments is the exorbitant cost of higher education in this country. If the cost of an undergraduate degree is approaching $100,000 per year, how can one justify studying art history? 

Bowdoin College’s liberal arts Offer

Rather than refute critics of the liberal arts, I’ll just point you toward the “Offer” of Bowdoin College, a venerable liberal arts college on the coast of Maine. I’ll just quote it here.  But notice that nothing in the offer focuses on the economic value of the education on offer. This is not about ROI (“return on investment”). This is about something more grand, more ethereal, and (for your author who is an unabashed fan of the liberal arts) more inspiring.

The Offer of the College

To be at home in all lands and all ages;
To count Nature a familiar acquaintance, and Art an intimate friend;
To gain a standard for the appreciation of others’ work
And the criticism of your own;
To carry the keys of the world’s library in your pocket,
And feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake;
To make hosts of friends… Who are to be leaders in all walks of life;
To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms
And cooperate with others for common ends –
This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.

Adapted from the original “Offer of the College”
by William DeWitt Hyde, President of Bowdoin College 1885–1917

A video defense of the liberal arts and Bowdoin’s Offer

Below is a video of my explanation of the Bowdoin Offer. It’s a pretty good defense of both a liberal arts education and the liberal arts colleges that offer this sort of education. The video is a little dated, however, and neither the resolution nor the sound is as good as even the worst of today’s TikTok shorts. But have a look and/or read the transcript at the bottom of this post.

The advantages of liberal arts colleges

Here are a few ways that liberal arts colleges cater to their students with a truly student-focused approach, even as they deliver their liberal arts education program.  

Liberal arts colleges offers small classes

You’ll never be lost in the crowd at a liberal arts school. Small class sizes allow for deep discussion and thorough understanding for every student. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to share your own thoughts, as well as hear from your peers.

The colleges themselves are among the smallest in the country, with enrollments well under 5000 students. Classes rarely have more than 25 or 30 students in them, and many may have only 8 or 10.  This model of education is expensive. Given this, is it so surprising that liberal arts colleges like Colorado College have very high percentages of students who come from America’s richest families? 

The value of the small liberal arts college is the unparalleled access students have to their instructors.  The intimacy of the classroom experience means that students get to know one another well on a basis of shared curiosity and exploration. 

So if you’re looking for an environment where you will be intellectually challenged, both inside and outside the classroom, a liberal arts college could be the perfect environment for you.

Professors Who Know Your Name

Intimate class sizes also give you the opportunity to really know your professors. Nationwide, liberal arts colleges average 11 students per faculty member. Professors at liberal arts colleges aren’t just there to lecture for an hour and go home. They’re ready to answer your questions, look over your papers and recommend great reads.

But many liberal arts professors don’t stop there. You might grab a coffee with them after class to discuss your research paper. You might share articles on topics of shared interest. Or you might yourself having dinner with their family. Liberal arts professors don’t just care about your academic welfare; they care about you.

Faculty incentives are different in liberal arts college than in major research universities. Teaching is more highly valued at liberal arts colleges–even as research is also encouraged and supported. Thus the faculty who teach at liberal arts colleges also value teaching–and they hone their craft. And undergraduate students are the beneficiaries of a teaching-focused institution. 

By contrast, many faculty at many research institutions find undergraduate teaching to be a necessary but unenjoyable aspect of being a professor. And large institutions are more likely to have armies of low-paid graduate teaching assistants who deliver most of the undergraduate education–grading papers and exams and leading labs and discussion sections–while professors just hone their lectures and spend most of their time doing independent research with the graduate and post-graduate students. 

A Well-Rounded Education

A school’s liberal arts focus ensures you aren’t just an expert in one subject, but well-versed in many topics. English majors and biochemistry majors find common ground at liberal arts institutions–because they might share a general education psychology class or decide to take the same geology elective. With a liberal arts degree, you will be prepared to critically assess and engage the world. You will have the breadth of knowledge necessary to discuss and evaluate your ideas and philosophies. You will be challenged and challenge others. And your growth will last a lifetime.

Further, a liberal arts graduate learns to learn unfamiliar subjects and topics. They become the proverbial “quick study.”  Because they have to take the “general education” requirements as well as enroll in electives with which they may not have any previous familiarity, they have to absorb new material quickly and deeply–just to pass the exams and write the papers for the semester. 

In this way, a liberal arts education prepares students for a rapidly changing world–and economy–by equipping them with a broad set of analytical and communications tools. A liberal arts college will arm you to handle any professional challenge that the world throws at you. 

It it any wonder, then, that so many national leaders in so many different fields have liberal arts degrees? 

Undergraduate Research Opportunities at a Liberal Arts College

While teaching is highly valued by liberal arts college, research is also important and faculty are expected to engage in it. But since LACs do not have droves of graduate students with a deeper understanding of a professor’s area of research, professors turn to their undergraduate students to help them. Thus liberal arts students–surprisingly–get some of the best experiences with hands-on research in science labs and document archives.

While the labs at liberal arts colleges may not be as large or as well-equipped as those at a Carnegie I research university, the LAC also doesn’t have gobs of graduate and post-doctoral students who get first crack at the plum jobs in that lab (while the undergraduate cleans the Petri dishes and feeds the mice).

At a liberal arts college, you’ll have the possibility to get hands-on experience in your field. Professors don’t expect you to have lots of credentials before you begin researching with them. They equip you with both the preparation and on-the-job training you’ll need to research well.

With undergraduate research experience, you will stand out on graduate school applications. You will attract employers and excel in jobs for which you already have the skills. Plus, will leave a mark on the scholarship of your school that will last long after you’ve graduated.

Do you need help exploring liberal arts colleges and a liberal arts education?

The counselors at Great College Advice are well aware of the value of the liberal arts, and each one of us has pursued that form of education in our own lives at places like Dartmouth, Stanford, Columbia, Grinnell, and Colgate.  We, ourselves, have benefitted (and continue to benefit) from the well-rounded educations we received.  If you are wondering if this sort of education could serve you well, then contact us by filling out this form.

Even if you’re not sure that a liberal arts college is for you, we can help you better understand the wide range of educational options available to you, and help you make the right choice for you. A liberal arts education is not for everyone. Wherever you are in your decision-making process, we would be delighted to help you discover the path that is right for you.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

I’m here on the campus of Bowdoin College, a small liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. I just finished walking through the music building, and before that I was in the science building. Then I went to the theater building over here, and then there’s a humanities building over here. All within very close proximity.

And that made me start thinking about what is a liberal arts education, and then I looked at what the mission of Bowdoin is. Bowdoin has what they call the Offer of Bowdoin College. It was written over 100 years ago, and I think it’s a really great explanation of what a liberal arts education is all about. The Offer was written in 1906 and it says this:

To be at home in all lands and all ages. To count Nature a familiar acquaintance, and Art an intimate friend. To carry the keys of the world’s library in your pocket, and feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake. To make hosts of friends…who are to be leaders in all walks of life. Lose yourself in generous enthusiasms and cooperate with others for common ends. This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.

Not a vocational education

A liberal arts education is not at all a vocational preparation. Rather, it’s a way for a young person to expand his or her mind, gain knowledge, gain skills, that will carry you throughout all of your life, not only in your profession, but also in the other activities that we do in our lives to contribute to society. Also in the ways that we interact with our fellow human beings.

This is really a liberal arts education. It’s not just about getting a job. It’s about training for life, for intellectual pursuits, spiritual pursuits, and human pursuits. So a liberal arts education really is different from those kinds of technical schools where you’re learning to prepare for a particular job. In a liberal arts college, the whole philosophy is different. You’re preparing yourself for life.

The post Admissions Counselor on the Mission of Liberal Arts Colleges first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

What is University of San Francisco known for?

1. The University of San Francisco is different from the other Jesuit college in terms of its location and the composition of the student body. USF is a school of minorities: only 24% are white. There are plenty of students from other ethnic groups, including Asian (26%) and Latino (21%) and Black (8%). But get this: 30% of the students in the Gospel Choir are white. USF is a place where students can get outside of the cultural constricts of their childhood and high school experience. Students can “mix it up,” literally. Thirty percent of students are the first in their families to go to college. Socio-economically speaking, this place is also pretty diverse: forty percent come from families who make $60k or less per year–and who are attending an institution that costs $50k per year.
2. Who are the “majorities” at USF: Catholics 51%, and women 65% (note that the strong School of Nursing pulls this average off because 95% of schools of nursing are women). Also, 75-80% come from the Western states, though there are representatives of most states and a whole bunch of foreign countries (11% of students are international). Just over half (55%) come from California.  But California is a big state!
3. Like most Jesuit institutions, USF is a mission-driven college. They focus on “education the whole person” and learning is considered a “humanizing social activity rather than a competitive exercise.”
4. USF has 5,000 undergraduates, with another 3,800 graduate students. Seventy-five percent of classes have 25 students or fewer.
5. It has a core curriculum, like most Jesuit institutions. But there are still differences. There is a total of 11 core classes, plus a class that includes a service learning component (not just a “bunch of hours”)—service learning is integrated into the classroom, making it an integration of service and learning.
6. Admissions officers at USF encourage phone calls from both students and counselors. They do not have a “wall” between web users and the admissions staff. The admissions office representatives said repeatedly, “Pick up the phone; we’re old-fashioned.” USF also lists all the phone numbers of faculty right on the website. So if you’re interested in how good the biology department is, or what the major’s priorities are, you can just get on the horn with the chair of the department and ask.
7. Twenty-five percent of faculty are “of color;” 45% of faculty are women. One of USF’s core values is diversity.
8. If you are interested in the nursing program, you must apply separately, and the nursing program is very competitive. There are about 600 students in the nursing program.
9. USF offers great scholarships for those it deems to be “high value” students:  those with a high GPA in grades 9-11. While USF is test-optional, a high score certainly wouldn’t hurt and might help you land more merit-based scholarships.
10. Some students may opt for the Saint Ignatius Institute, an interesting Great Books program within both the Jesuit and the liberal arts traditions. SII is also a living and learning program, whereby students in the program also live together. Students read the classics of Western Civilization (Plato, Homer, Augustine, Dante, Göethe, Kafka, Borges, etc.). This program is open to all students, but spaces are limited. For students who want the “Great Books” sort of program offered at St. John’s (but who don’t want the strict focus of St. John’s), this might be a great fit.

All in all, I really enjoyed my time at USF, though I wish the weather had been warmer. It was blowing a gale, despite the fact that the sun was out. I hear that Mark Twain had this to say about this fair city (and I’m not quoting directly): “I spent the coldest winter of my life in San Francisco one summer.”

The post University of San Francisco–an urban, Jesuit college first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

If you’re interested, I also explained need-based financial aid in this post.

If you’d prefer to read my comments, you’ll find them below.

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I’m here right now on the campus of Dickinson College, which is in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and I want to talk a little bit about financial aid. But I want to set the stage by saying Dickinson College is just a gorgeous place. I’m here just kind of outside the library in a little courtyard, the azaleas are in bloom, and students are packed in the library right now studying for finals.

Architecturally speaking, this campus is one of those harmonious campuses, all in gray brick. It’s just absolutely stunning. The landscaping is beautiful. Every facility I’ve gone into so far has been stupendous, superb.

But let’s talk about financial aid. And we’ll talk about merit aid because merit aid is the money you get because you’re a good student. And, at Dickinson, in order to get merit aid you need to be a very good student. Dickinson reserves only a very small portion of its financial aid budget for merit and awarded at the very top.

So, to give you some examples, I picked up this fact sheet outside the admissions office. I’m here on a Saturday; it’s not the best day to come, but it’s what I could do. So, I picked up this fact sheet and for financial aid, first of all, the tuition for 2024-2025 is just over $68,000, just for the tuition alone. About 2/3 of students receive some form of financial aid so 1/3 are paying $68,000, okay?

So, just so you put that in perspective. It also says that they do offer academic scholarships to almost 30% of the student body. Okay, so, 2/3% are paying full price and almost 30% are getting some sort of academic scholarship for their high school labor.

The other thing is that the middle 50% of scores – let’s just take the ACT score because it’s a little easier, sometimes, to remember. Out of 36, the mid 50% is between 30 and 33 in terms of their admitted students who submitted test scores. So, 25% of students who are admitted that submitted an ACT score have a 33 or above.

Now remember, I said almost 30% of students actually get merit-based financial aid. So, in other words – and these are rough numbers – in order to get a merit-based scholarship at Dickinson, you likely need to be in the 32-33 and above ACT range (or equivalent SAT) or have an impressive GPA or other talents.

I mean, that’s not based on your ability to pay, but if you are trying to reduce the price of college by maximizing other people’s money – and in this case, the college’s money – to get scholarships from the college, you need to roughly be in the top 25%.

Now, in several of the other liberal arts colleges that I’ve been visiting on this tour. If you’re in the top 50%, you’re likely to get some sort of merit-based financial aid, but not at Dickinson. You need to be closer to the top of the applicant pool to pull down merit-based aid.

So, it really helps to know who’s getting the money and to do the research and to look at the numbers as you apply. Because if you’re one of those students whose family believes and wants some sort of merit-based aid in order to pay for college, reduce the price. you’re not going to get it at Dickinson unless you are at the very top of their applicant pool – the top 25%.

Again, other colleges that’s not the case. The top 50% of the pool receives some sort of merit-based discount, but Dickinson, well, there’s a reason why there are such wonderful facilities here. So, it’s a great school, it’s beautiful.

I would recommend it. I think academically, it’s quite good, but if you’re looking for a bargain, it’s only going to be a bargain if you’re in the top 25%.

Great College Advice

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.   

The post Merit-Based Financial Aid Explained first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

A client of mine is a budding architect. He is taking an independent study in architecture at his high school. He has become very enthusiastic about the possibility of turning his interest into a career. But he is unsure about what road to take as an undergraduate. Should he look for universities that offer a Bachelors degree in architecture. Or should he opt for a liberal arts degree. What classes should he take to be an architect? Then, head for graduate school to get his Masters in Architecture and his license to practice?

Not being an architect myself, I asked a college classmate, Cary Bernstein, who has her own successful architecture practice in San Francisco, if she would mind fielding a few questions from my student. She agreed. She also agreed to let me share her answers with our readers. So here is her case for why the liberal arts provide excellent preparation for a career in architecture.  (I’ve reproduced it here in a “Q&A” format to make it more readable).

Question 1: What Should I Study to Be an Architect?

I am extremely interested in pursuing architecture as a profession. But, I don’t want to commit to something that I may later realize I don’t want to do halfway through college. What would you recommend I study in college so that I can study architecture but I can still make changes if I decide that I want to take a different direction?

Response: You should study things that interest you. You are more likely to do well at subjects that keep you engaged.  It is important to develop your writing, research and analytical skills. You can do that in almost any subject within the humanities or social sciences.  You should take as many drawing or shop (i.e. wood shop, metal shop) classes as possible, but you do not need to major in art. 

I majored in Philosophy and have found it to be extremely useful for understanding theory, intellectual history, interpreting text and constructing positions in (unfortunately) adversarial situations.  But mostly, I just love Philosophy.  You should have some basic computer skills because so much work is done on the computer and the programs keep changing all the time.

Question 2: Which Is More Important, Design or Engineering?

If I were to go straight into architecture, what classes would you advise to someone who is much more interested in the design aspects of a structure instead of the engineering that goes into it?

Response:  Take as much painting, drawing and other studio art as possible.  But also take as many humanities  – where you will have to write papers and do research – as possible.  The people who do poorly in the profession are those whose verbal skills are weak – you need to be able to talk about your project as well as design it.  You would think this is just about design, but architectural practice requires verbal as well as visual skills – which is what makes architecture the coolest profession ever.

Question 3: What Has Made You a Successful Architect?

Being a professional architect, what did you gain the most out of your college studies and what classes were the most valuable to your future in architecture?

Response:  I never worried about how my undergraduate classes would be directly “useful” in graduate school.  In college, in addition to Philosophy, I studied languages (Russian, Italian and French). They have been useful in so many ways (how to think about different systems of communication, different cultures, exposure to other parts of the world) and have led to an interesting life.  Philosophy, as mentioned above, has been incredibly useful. But it’s a dense subject so if you don’t like it don’t study it. 

I wish I took more courses in History and Literature but there just wasn’t any more room in my schedule.  Architecture is the “mother of the arts” – it encompasses everything (art, science, history, economics, psychology). So most subjects feed it well but I would steer you towards history, literature and language studies first and foremost.  The more time you can spend making things and drawing things the better. But you’ll get plenty of this in a graduate program.  Classes in art/architectural history are also helpful – you should know the history within these subjects.

Question 4: How Can I Decide Whether to Study Architecture?

What would be the best way for me to discover if I really want to pursue architecture? I am already in an architecture class but I feel I could be doing more to truly know if this is what I want to do.

Response:  There are summer classes, such as the Harvard Career Discovery Program (also known as “Career Disco”) which many people find helpful.  I believe Columbia University also has one.  You should also try to get an internship in an architecture firm (do anything). Or, if you can get a job in construction spend the summer building something.  Work for Habitat for Humanity or other community groups that build things.  I hope this is helpful.  Architecture is an incredible pursuit – I wish you the very best for your future.
 
Clearly, Cary Bernstein is very content with her educational trajectory. What is your educational trajectory? How can I help you choose the college–and major–that fits you best?

Great College Advice

The post Want To Be An Architect? Study the Liberal Arts! first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant 
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Here’s the transcript if you’d like to read:

I’m here on the Campus of the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. And I could say that the College of Wooster is another one of those Mid-Western surprises. I’ve had on this trip where you walk into the campus and are really shocked by how really wonderful it is. I can’t say I was completely shocked because I knew from reputation that this is a really solid academic school. It’s kind of under the radar screen for a lot of people but a fantastic little liberal arts college in Ohio.

The thing I wanted to mention is the way I visit colleges. I tend not to go on canned admission tours. I tend to just show up kind of unannounced without a lot of fanfare or giving them prior warning of my visit. Then I walked into the Admissions Office today at 4:15, okay it closes at 5.

Immediately they said, let’s get you in touch with the person, what are the admissions reps and he sat down with me. He talked with me for about 40 minutes. He gave me kind of a personal tour of the campus as much as he could before he had to run off to pick up his wife. But really took a personalized – he gave me personal attention. And that’s really indicative of what the College of Wooster is all about spending the time and the energy and giving personal attention to each and every student.

Loren Pope put the College of Wooster in his book 40 Colleges that Changed Lives and, you know. It’s not surprising just my little experience here on an August day when the campus is pretty dead to walk into the Admissions Office and get a lot of personalized attention. We just met with the professor he was walking out of his office, stood there and talked with us for a few minutes, really impressive place.

Yes, the landscaping and the architecture yes that’s kind of a surprise to me. Because it really does kind of help to get a feel of the physical plant of a college. But really by reputation College of Wooster is one of those places that they take – maybe their students are diamonds in the rough not necessarily the tippy top academically. They will take students who have academic potential and they will mold them into scholars. That is really the hallmark of education here at Wooster, excellent education, someplace that is definitely off the radar screen for a lot of students but it shouldn’t be. This is a high value education and it deserves more attention.

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This is another example of how the liberal arts are truly “liberating.”  This young man’s foray into history and the Classics have taught him a great deal about himself.  While it’s true that college students will someday emerge from the cocoon of college into the wide, wide world to make a living, the educational experience of the liberal arts can help students understand their world better, improve their ability to communicate with others, and sharpen one’s analytical skills in ways that are hard to quantify.

The good thing is that employers are looking for students like this one (who studies at Hope College in Michigan–which is a member of the Colleges That Change Lives consortium) who can elegantly argue a case in the court of public opinion.
Read the piece here.

Great College Advice
Educational Consultant and Admissions Expert

The post Finding Oneself in the Liberal Arts first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

A liberal arts education teaches a student to be a well-rounded intellectual, yes. But can it serve as the launch pad for a high-paying career? One study presented to the Council of Independent Colleges says “absolutely.”

High Ranking Schools

It’s also helpful to keep in mind that the highest ranked universities in the US offer a “liberal arts” education. Most of the Ivy League universities do not offer preprofessional degrees. Though admittedly economics tends to be the most popular major at all these schools. Other top-rated universities, including the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt award primarily “liberal arts” degrees. Even the ranking public, flagship universities like University of California-Berkeley, University of Virginia, and the University of Michigan award large numbers of “liberal arts” degrees.

For those who might have trouble getting into the top tier schools above (or for families seeking a relative bargain among liberal arts colleges), a number of fantastic options are worthy of consideration. For example, have a look at the Colleges That Change Lives. A loose consortium of 42 high quality liberal arts schools. Including Beloit College, Eckerd College, University of Puget Sound and many others.

Read more about this study that indicates that the liberal arts are, in fact, a gateway to financial prosperity for many students here.

Great College Advice
Educational consultant and admissions expert

The post Can a Liberal Arts Education Pay Off Financially? Yes. first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Enter the liberal arts.

Here are a few ways that liberal arts colleges cater to their students with a truly student-focused approach:

1. Small classes

You’ll never be lost in the crowd at a liberal arts school. Small class sizes allow for deep discussion and thorough understanding for every student. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to share your own thoughts, as well as hear from your peers.

“Students know each other by name, since they eat, live, and socialize together as well as attend class. Classes emphasize conversation and debate, which help students interrogate for themselves the concepts and texts.” — Joy Castro, English professor, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana (Wabash Magazine)

2. Professors who know your name

Intimate class sizes also give you the opportunity to really know your professors. Nationwide, liberal arts colleges average 11 students per faculty member. Professors at liberal arts colleges aren’t just there to lecture for an hour and go home; they’re ready to answer your questions, look over your papers and recommend great reads.

But many liberal arts professors don’t stop there. You might grab a coffee with them over lunch, get in the habit of sending them articles they would appreciate or find yourself having dinner with their family. Liberal arts professors don’t just care about your academic welfare; they care about you.

“One of the most valuable aspects of liberal arts education, in my opinion, is the close connection you could establish with the professors. Sure, they could seem intimidating with their crazy educational backgrounds and sophisticated word usage skills, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting to know them. They are always there – willing to help, and get to know you.” — Kyungin Kim, Chinese and international political economy student, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington (Puget Sound Blogs)

3. A well-rounded education

A school’s liberal arts focus ensures you aren’t just an expert in one subject, but well versed in many topics. English majors and biochemistry majors find common ground at liberal arts institutions. With a liberal arts degree, you will be prepared to critically assess and engage the world. You will have the breadth of knowledge necessary to discuss and evaluate your ideas and philosophies. You will be challenged and challenge others. And your growth will last a lifetime.

“A liberal arts education prepares students for a changing world by equipping them with a broad set of analytical skills rather than a single focus.” — Julia Reynolds, humanities student, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Wake Forest)

4. Undergraduate research opportunities

Don’t get trapped by a books-only approach. At a liberal arts college, you’ll get hands-on experience in your field. Professors don’t expect you to have lots of credentials before you begin researching with them—they equip you with both the preparation and on-the-job training you’ll need to research well.

With undergraduate research experience, you will stand out on graduate school applications. You will attract employers and excel in jobs for which you already have the skills. Plus will leave a mark on the scholarship of your school that will last long after you’ve graduated.

“The work with students in the lab has been the highlight for me. I always say that if you’re doing research at a liberal arts college, you have to involve students in your research. I consider the work that my students and I have done in the laboratory all these years to be a vital part of my teaching responsibility.” – John Ubels biology professor, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ready for this kind of education? Explore the best in liberal arts for yourself or your student at www.liberalartspower.org.

Gwyneth Findlay is a student of the liberal arts at Calvin College.

The post Why Choose a Liberal Arts College? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

What Is a “Liberal Arts” Education?

The “liberal” in “liberal arts” comes from the word “liberty.” Do not confuse this word with its political connotation. The idea of a liberal arts curriculum is to “free the mind” and unbind it from ignorance.

Liberal arts is the traditional higher education curriculum in the US. Nearly every university offers a “Bachelor of Arts” degree that requires a broad introduction to a variety of disciplines. Unlike in other countries, the “general education” requirements help ensure that Americans are not specialists. But rather have a wide acquaintance with many disciplines.

Liberal arts majors include the sciences: chemistry, biology, physics, and more. Again, don’t be fooled by the nomenclature. Liberal arts colleges often have outstanding science departments, and a few even offer engineering.

The College of Liberal Arts (or Arts & Sciences) is undergraduate unit of a university. In the United States, we talk about going to “college” after high school. Because college is the traditional undergraduate destination—whether or not that destination is part of a university. In fact, the first college established in the US remains a college: the College of William and Mary.

What Is a Liberal Arts College (LAC)?

Think of an LAC as a “college of arts and sciences” at a university that is removed from a broader institution. And then created as a stand-alone school. It has exactly the same sort of undergraduate curriculum that exists at a university. But the LAC is completely separated from graduate programs.

An LAC offers only undergraduate degrees. Most offer the BA, but some might offer other degrees, including a BS, BM, or even a BBA.
Because it is an entirely undergraduate institution, there are no graduate students in an LAC. Professors teach all classes, even discussion sections and laboratories, because there are no graduate programs at a LAC.

Because they are generally smaller, LACs also offer smaller class sizes than those generally found at larger universities. Thus it is often easier to make personal connections in the classroom, both with professors and peers.

The post Liberal Arts College and Liberal Arts Education first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

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A Liberal Arts Education

There are a lot of great statistics that provide a certain level of insight into the small Liberal Arts experience. These facts and figures provide an effective quick glimpse into this four-year life-transforming experience and even provide a superficial taste of what it means to be a student at a small Liberal Arts school. But today, I’d like to disregard logic, evade reason, and instead dive right into the heart of what makes a Liberal Arts experience truly special.

Years from now, I won’t remember that I went to a school with an average class size of seventeen or that our student-to-faculty ratio was eleven to one. Instead, I’ll remember the time I spent with Mr. Johanson driving to admission events. I’ll remember the hours we spent talking about our lives, hoping for our futures, and singing along to Taylor Swift. Statistics are great, but it’s the stories that I will remember forever.

I’d like to share with you a few of my favorites.

During my senior year, I decided to make a change. I had played it pretty safe during my first three years as an undergrad, but that year I had resolved to turn things around, to step out of my comfort zone. Naturally, I decided that the next logical step was to read original poetry at the fall talent show.

The evening arrived, my time slot came and went and I was truly better for having done it. As the evening pressed on, sitting in the back of the crowded theater, I noticed our university president, Dr. Rock Jones sitting a few rows away.

As is true at so many small Liberal Arts Schools, Dr. Jones was endlessly involved on campus. He was at nearly every sporting event and always visited with students during lunch. That night was no different. At the end of the evening, Dr. Jones ran up on stage and performed in a final skit, ending the show with laughter and a roar of applause.

Weeks later I found myself alone walking through campus and came across Dr. Jones walking with Gene Castelli, our director of dining services. As we crossed paths, Dr. Jones turned to Mr. Castelli and said, “You better watch out for this one, or he’ll write a poem about you.” Even a year and a half removed from my undergrad experience, this moment still sticks with me. I’ll always remember the time I read poetry for Dr. Jones.

He picked me up at 6:30 in the morning, a car already filled with the smell of coffee. Dr. Spall and I were headed down to an annual history conference held in Central Ohio and had a good bit of driving to do before the sun came up. I had been invited to the conference to present a paper on environmentalism in Britain after the Second World War.

Dr. Spall had been invited to fill his role as the ‘most popular person at the conference.’ He picked me up bright and early and was surprisingly chipper for the time of day. We talked superficially at first, about weather, travel, and beating the traffic. But as we got deeper into the drive, the conversation changed.

It turned toward his youth and the pranks he pulled into high school. He told me about his wife and kids and the ups and downs that come so naturally in life. We talked about my future and my own highs and lows. Suddenly, though, the conversation turned to dancing. As I mentioned earlier, I made a hard effort to get outside of my comfort zone during my senior year. Aside from my big poetry debut at the talent show, I also decided to take a swing dance class during that final semester.

Late over the course of our 3-hour trip, I was complaining to Dr. Spall about the two left feet I had inherited from my parents. I assured him that “Swing Dance” was quickly becoming my hardest class. Little did I know that Dr. Spall and his wife had been swing dancing four times a week for months and he had only just gotten the hang of it after weeks of struggling. The presentation I made that spring will drift from memory, but I will always remember that early morning drive, commiserating with Dr. Spall about the challenges of swing dance.

I strongly believe that small Liberal Arts Schools attract a very distinct type of person. Though there are always groups that don’t get along, there is an underlying commonality between liberal arts students, sharing a similar essence despite their diverse backgrounds.

I have one final story to share with you.

Chester walked into breakfast on the first day of his freshman year and placed a large black box next to him on the table. He poured himself some cheerios, looked up and smiled a big toothy grin. Dramatically, a loud raspy voice sounded through the box. “Oh, sorry,” Chester apologized; “I’m listening for trains.” It didn’t take long for me to learn how deep Chester’s love for trains ran. He had been published in a national train magazine, for which he had supplied his own photos.

He’d spend hours down the street at the tracks listening, waiting there with his camera. Sometimes I’d forget Chester’s infatuation with trains only to be pleasantly surprised all over again. We’d be out running, jogging on some back deserted country road, and there’d be a whistle in the distance.

Promptly and without cue, Chester would inform all who cared to listen of, the type of whistle, the type of engine, and even what it was hauling. I will admit to you, as I admitted to Chester on countless occasions, I don’t really care about trains.

Yet somehow, despite this tremendous gap in interests, Chester and I quickly became great friends. This story doesn’t have a funny or snappy ending; it just ends with me saying how thankful I am to have Chester in my life. Liberal Arts schools attract unique students, and I’m so grateful that they do.

I’d like to end this post with a confession: sharing these stories has been as much for me as it has been for you. I am so thankful for my Liberal Arts experience, and there is nothing like reliving moments from four incredible years to bring back all of those feelings of appreciation. These are some of my fondest memories, and there are still hundreds more.

The beauty of it all is that these same kinds of stories can be found at small Liberal Arts Schools all over the United States. These stories are mine, but I’d urge you to go out and find your own.

Thanks for your time,

Jake Bonnell

https://greatcollegeadvice.com/

The post Liberal Arts Education: The Greatest Thing Ever (An Unbiased Perspective) first appeared on College Admission Counseling.