There are three  primary factors to be considered when choosing an appropriate college for your student: campus culture, academic challenge, and cost.  Unfortunately, many families tend to gloss over all of these.

           

In my first session with a family, I ask “Do you know the difference between a liberal arts college and a national university?

 

Generally speaking, national universities emphasize graduate teaching, research, publishing and consulting.   For faculty, the rewards are not in teaching undergraduates.  Liberal arts college emphasize undergraduate teaching; consequently the classes are smaller and faculty is more accessible.  (For example, Princeton, Dartmouth and Brown are the three Ivies that have an undergraduate focus.)

 

Most liberal arts colleges are private and the reason families shy from them. Most, if not all, tend to publish high tuitions, but those are  rarely what a family actually pays.  Merit scholarships abound and need based aid without loans is continuing to expand.   For example, Whitman College has introduced its "10% Promise," an initiative ensuring that annual tuition will not surpass 10% of a family's adjusted gross income. Many well endowed colleges are  capping the cost at $200,000 AGI so the  total price is in line with public universities.

 

So how does a family decide? If student is undecided about a major, a  liberal arts   college is a better choice.  If a student will need research experience or faculty recommendations for graduate school or medical school, smaller institutions can provide that.   But the campus cultures and academic challenges vary in private colleges. An independent college counselor will  be familiar with the campus cultures and academic challenges of many colleges, both private and pubic.

   

Peggy Baker is a Certified Independent College Consultant.

  

Phone: 610-428-5818