While many students don't know the exact deviation betwixt a liberal arts college and a regular academy, the distinction is an important one that underlies the ii schools' master concept. Depending on your major and expected vocation, this distinction is necessary to learn – it tin make up one's mind which college will exist better suited to your interests and strengths and the focus of your education. In this weblog, we'll detect the important differences between liberal arts colleges and universities, and their effects on you, the student.

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What is the Main Difference?

The overarching difference is specialization. If you were to go to a academy, yous would declare a major either immediately or within the start yr, then focus primarily on that field. Most colleges require 120 credit hours to earn a caste (30 per year), and a majority of those will exist major-related at a academy. On the other manus, at a liberal arts higher , yous will likely spend more time exploring different fields and getting a well-rounded education.

Critical Differences

Cost

While the cost isn't extremely dissimilar – top liberal arts colleges like Harvey Mudd and Amherst will price a similar amount to top Universities like Stanford and Harvard – there is a slight deviation. Liberal arts colleges, on average, cost about $x,000 more than a university. This is because there are often more resource on a per-student ground, such equally a lower educatee/kinesthesia ratio and more emphasis on a small, intimate campus setting. On the other mitt, because large universities can host tens of thousands of students, they can be cheaper – however, you lot volition take to acclimate to such a large setting, and it's easy to get lost in the crowd.

Curriculum Offered

The main distinction that y'all volition face as a student will exist a difference in curriculum. Liberal arts colleges seek to promote a well-rounded atmosphere where students learn Stem enquiry and writing skills and knowledge of the humanities. This is similar to the International Baccalaureate program in some high schools. On the other hand, universities will have a pregnant specialization and dedicate most of their curriculum to that. This isn't a hard and fast rule – for instance, Columbia is known for its Cadre Curriculum, whereas Brown has a very open up curriculum.

classroom

Class Size

The grade size and the general atmosphere and culture will be far more than intimate at a liberal arts college than at a university. Liberal arts colleges volition focus on having many professors per student and small course sizes . Universities, on the other hand, have substantial class sizes, particularly for freshmen. While this isn't bad for anybody, universities are much larger, and information technology may feel hard to brand connections with professors. Simultaneously, the size of a academy means at that place may be more opportunities or resource bachelor.

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Form Style

As a event of the smaller class size at liberal arts colleges, the classes are often taught in modest lecture halls. This results in professors knowing about of their students, akin to most high school classes. On the other manus, academy freshmen classes can have 200 or more students in a unmarried room, creating a large barrier to professor-student connections. In universities, the mode of didactics is generally a large seminar until students advance to smaller upper-division classes.

Is Mail-Graduate an Option?

For both college types, mail-graduate degrees are an option. Fifty-fifty if yous are STEM-centered, there may be a liberal arts college for you – for example, Harvey Mudd is one of the top CS schools despite its liberal arts background. For both colleges, you can apply to postgraduate programs afterward, although universities are more likely to offer a graduate schoolhouse themselves. Since universities are more research-axial, you may have amend opportunities as a educatee at a large academy, as enquiry experience may brand your graduate application more highly-seasoned.

Resource Resource allotment

The resource allocation of liberal arts colleges and universities is largely dependent on the school and the interests of the area – for example, despite Harvard's prestige in academics, at that place is a significant focus on some of its sports (e.g., rowing). In contrast, Columbia is often noted for having a lacking school spirit for athletics. Still, on average, universities are more likely to have sports teams as their big grade size makes popular sports like football more profitable and pop. Both schools will spend the majority of their money on academia, although universities volition focus more on enquiry, whereas colleges may focus on student development and teaching facilities.

university Campus

Campus life for universities and liberal arts colleges are very dissimilar. Liberal arts colleges are small and intimate, so you are probable to know many of your graduate form people and be more involved in your college customs. On the other hand, universities are large and will ofttimes focus on sport or large school-spirit events. Campus life is very dependent on the school'due south culture – even big schools may have trivial partying and outward schoolhouse spirit if it does non fit the interests of the student body.

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Extracurricular Activities

While both universities and liberal arts colleges will offer a plethora of extracurricular activities, there may be more than resource and clubs available at a large university. Since universities accept more students, there's commonly more than diversity of clubs and more than resources given to the clubs for funding or growth. Either way, you are probable to find something that interests yous – if not, you can always commencement your lodge! Still, if you are looking for competitive able-bodied interest, a university is probable to get.

application writing

Admissions Procedure

Virtually all schools are now listed on typical applications like the Mutual App or Coalition App. Yet, liberal arts schools are more than likely to have their application, which would require yous to write several split up essays to apply. Once again, this isn't a hard and fast rule – for instance, MIT, a university, has a split up application (MyMIT). No matter which route you make up one's mind to take, you lot should do your inquiry beforehand, then you know how to employ.

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Which Option is Best for You?

The decision between a liberal arts college and a university is an incredibly subjective and personal 1. While in that location are some significant differences in education, the differences in environment and culture (and other factors similar location and cost) should all be considered . If yous are even so unsure, visiting the colleges yous wish to utilize to is a bang-up way to get acquainted with the campus civilization.

Closing Thoughts

Many factors come into play when deciding your final list of colleges to employ to, but the type of college is one educatee ofttimes gloss over despite its importance. As listed above, in that location are many differences betwixt liberal arts colleges and universities. Depending on your personal preferences, they can either be a boost or hindrance to your college experience. With that in mind, we firmly believe you should accept these differences into account and compare the colleges before you use.

Y'all have to practice your research – visit the campus, learn about the civilization, talk to alumni – do whatever you tin can to get a improve idea of college life. There's much more to a higher than prestige, and finding an establishment that fits your unique needs and interests is far more suitable than applying to the first few you can think of. And then, earlier you finalize your list, we recommend you practise everything you lot can to compare and weigh each college'south advantages – this is a big decision to brand, and you lot should treat it as such!