These are devastating examples of students in a place they were not happy and shouldn't have been. Again, I am really sorry these were your experiences — to have an axe to grind with all liberal arts schools, though?

Do you ever run into someone you either know from your college or find out went to your college? It's the same instant camaraderie that I assume goes on with all alumni, but with smaller schools it feels more special...because the odds of being around other alumni when you're out in the world is smaller, fewer people…

Exactly, and thanks for adding to the discussion. I never give up an afternoon to comment, but I have today...and over a Liberal Arts college COMMENT, not even about the original post.

It just seems like there is a TON of misinformation about what LA schools are, and it is blowing my mind because having gone to one…

You're spot on, but the longer us successful LA grads keep being successful and HAPPY, the more "they" will be convinced. Misery loves company, and the rat race exists to justify people in the rat race.

I'm sorry you and your friends had that experience with a liberal arts college. I can't imagine paying full tuition for those, and my other posts discuss the financial aid many offer.

Thanks! Yes, now that I've had a taste of both LA and Top Research U, I'm counting the days until I can go back to work at the former and help students advocate for themselves if they want to pursue more schooling at the latter.

The STEM majors at my liberal arts not only had students working with professors for research experience, they traveled abroad for research, presented at conferences, and had publishable papers.

Truth. My opinion is that LA schools give you more room to figure out what your interests are without tacking years onto your degree.

Definitely! And this is why we need MORE educational options, not fewer!

I think the top-tier rankings actually get people into trouble, and create unrealistic expectations about what it means when you leave that place with your degree. I went to a LA college that is on a lot of lists, but not necessarily ranked like the ones you listed. I didn't have a stellar GPA, but I did have a TON of…

I'm really sorry you had that experience — and we definitely all make recommendations to others based on our own experiences. I have been accepted to every degree program and job I've ever applied for with a 3.4 from a LA college — I made sure to talk about why the admissions committee saw Bs and Cs on my transcripts,…

We are coming from totally different ends of the anecdote spectrum. My LA school was difficult as shit, and I worked my butt off to pull Bs in a few classes. We were held much more accountable to high academic performance because the professor only had 20-30 students in each class to focus on.

I definitely understand what you're saying. To that we can reply, define profitable? I'd rather have a job I love and pull in $40k a year and have time to spend on my interests and family than be in the rat race for $125k. And that's assuming LA degrees don't set people up to make big money, they can! Just look at the…

Preach sister! LAs all the wayyyyyy!

I definitely get what you're saying, as I work at a top research university now and see the difference between Big U and Lib Arts. However, I have just as many anecdotes about students from LAs going onto PhDs just fine, and often much more prepared for the actual work load of graduate programs. When I was in grad…

...except the liberal arts are specialized. You still pick a major. We had plenty of people in the STEM fields at my college who went on to medical school or PhD degrees for research in Chemistry and the like. We also have people with MBAs, JDs, etc. This is purely anecdotal, but 100% of the folks from college I know…

Honest question: Pointless how? The small student-to-faculty ratio? The individualized attention? The depth and breadth of material? The hands-on learning allowed in smaller classrooms? The amazing financial aid packages?

I went to a small liberal arts college and performed leaps and bounds beyond my peers in graduate…

I see brown and blue in that dress, which no one seems to be talking about. I just scored 11 on that test, but I'm at work and rushed before anyone could see me.

I tindred my face off when I got out of a LTR. It's fun if you don't take it too seriously, and you can always uninstall the app if it becomes too much. Swiping is addictive.

Does anyone in this thread have kids now? As an adult I always wonder if it's awkward for the parents when their kids set up shop on the sidewalk to sell ridiculous things. A kid in my neighborhood was selling flowers that he obviously picked from other people's yards on our street. As an adult I also felt weird…