<p>Forget what people say. You have done your homework, visited Barrett, and realize it is an excellent opportunity for a liberal arts type education within a large public university. There are only 4,000 students in Barrett and your opportunities to meet and work with professors are outstanding. I am sure there will be opportunities to socialize at ANY school, so trust your instinct on the opportunities that Barrett will provide you. By the way, I have no affiliation with the college, I am just a parent looking into merit scholarships and realize Barrett will be visited by my two high school students. The attention you will receive there will surpass anything you would get at a prestigious University of California campus.</p>