Alan Said:

What is the difference between a national university (public/private) and a liberal arts college?

We Answered:

The main difference is that liberal arts college emphasize more on english, arts, classics e.t.c than research(F.Y.I, most private schools are liberal ats school). In liberal arts school there is less science related majors like engineering. It depends on what you major in. Although most ivy leagues are liberal arts( so they are prestigous), if your major is science related, it might do you good if you go to a college that gives undergraduates the opportunity of research because most employers(for science related majors) want thier employees to be experienced. Hope i helped?

Duane Said:

Should I major in public health/health sciences at a state university or biology at a liberal arts?

We Answered:

Stay away from biology unless you are either willing to work for peanuts the rest of your life, or are planning to be a Dr. or Vet.

All the biologists that work with me make 2/3 or less than what I make.

Do some research on what careers pay well and go that direction. Check with your councilor or your contacts at whatever university/college(s) that you are looking at attending. Remember this because this decision will be permanent, and you will remember me telling you so if you go the wrong direction. Good luck on this journey.

Willie Said:

liberal arts colleges vs. public/private ones? ***10 POINTS GIVEN***?

We Answered:

I went to a liberal arts college, I now teach at a predominately undergraduate institution (closer to liberal arts college than a research university). I earned my Ph.D. at one of those big state research institutions. Based on my observations I would recommend most high school students go to a liberal arts institution over a big research uni.

At a liberal arts college you do not have to compete graduate students for faculty time. Graduate students always win. The faculty at my graduate school didn't give a flip about the undergrads. Teaching undergraduate courses was the undesirable requirement to get the privilege of doing research the rest of their time. Faculty at liberal arts colleges are there because they believe that education of undergraduates is valuable use their time. Additionally, almost all of them ENJOY teaching and want to interact with undergraduates. This means that when you need help you will be able to send meaningful time with your professors.

Most lower level courses at big research unis can have as many as 500 students enrolled. These lower level courses are often where students need the most help and are the least able to get it. Once my liberal arts college offered a single course with 40 students in it. There was much grumbling amongst the students about how the college was packing us in just to save a dime. Most of my classes my freshman year had a 25 students in them. After that most of my classes had about 10 students in them.

A big research unis you'll often have TAs who teach all or a portion of each of your courses. This is fine if you don't mind being taught by someone who is not a expert in their field. This is very rarely the case at a liberal arts college. Occasionally a remedial course will be taught by someone with only a Master's degree but that is not the norm.

Liberal arts colleges also tend to give scholarships to a higher percentage of students. There is relatively little money available at big research unis to fund student scholarships. As a result only the top students get scholarship money from the school.

Since big research unis have so many students they must have many faculty members. This means that there can by a wider variety of courses offered. That is not to say that a liberal arts college doesn't have what you need. If a liberal arts college is a grocery store then the big research uni is like a grocery store with a video rental and attached liquor store.

Big unis also tend to have a higher percentage of faculty actively engaging in research this means that there are most open slots for undergrads to get research experience. But these experiences are generally reserved for only the best students or those who "shine." While there may be few research availability at a liberal arts college just about every student who is interested will get the opportunity to engage in research. They just won't necessarily have campus access to the newest $50 million gadget.

What I've said above refers more to big research school vs smaller liberal arts college. There are state schools that are liberal arts institutions (William and Mary comes to mind). There are also smaller public and private unis that offer those things that a liberal arts college does yet don't label themselves as "liberal arts" (some have a few grad programs but the emphasis is on the undergrads). I'm a prof at one of these. For the most part, my students have almost all the advantages that I did as a liberal arts student. However there are more students where I work and I think some of them might get lost in the shuffle.

Some students will do very well at the big research school while others won't. It's really about what you are looking for. If you want to have easy access to faculty and have your profs know your name, then you would likely do much better at a smaller liberal arts college. In the end, you should go to the best school that you think you would be happy attending.

Douglas Said:

Should a public liberal arts education require a general course of study in religion for civic participation?

We Answered:

World-view, perhaps. I like James W. Sire's books, "The Universe Next Door: A Basic World-View Catalog" and his (probably out of print) "How To Read Slowly." Both by Inter-Varsity Press (of which Sire is former editor-in-chief).

Knowing how to determine a person's world-view is very important, but liberals in "liberal arts" colleges assume what everyone else thinks is a world-view, and what they think is without cultural bias. That's why one of my U.S. Senators could say with a straight face, "There is no liberal bias in public radio."

It's a good idea, yes, but would never fly. I was required to take a course in "minority studies" in my old college days. We just read a bunch of essays by radical feminists (and being in North Dakota, a couple of sociologists on the Native American culture). Christians are just considered deluded ignorant hayseeds.

Emma Said:

Is it hard to transfer from a big public school to a small liberal arts college in the same state?

We Answered:

Liberal arts colleges are private schools so the instate versus out of state issue is largely irrelevant except for the fact that they may be familiar with the academic profile of the state school and aware of what the academic record really means there. The liberal artc college will be primarily focused on how strong academically the applicant is and what spaces they actually have open.