It is important to try to define “small” in reference to undergraduate students enrolled. “Small”, in my opinion, is a function of number of students enrolled and of diversity of those students. The more diverse, the better.
In my view, Middlebury College with approximately 2,700 undergraduate students which includes slightly more than 10% international students is not small. Middlebury College strives for–and has achieved–diversity among its enrolled students.
Colgate University and Bucknell University–although classified as LACs–are not small in terms of undergraduate students enrolled. Wesleyan University–an LAC–is neither small nor rural. Certainly the Claremont group of schools (Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Claremont McKenna College, Scripps & Pitzer) are neither small nor rural.
To me, there is no magic number of enrolled students which makes an LAC small or not-small. I know of one rural LAC with 2,400 undergraduate students which I consider to be very small due to its isolation and striking lack of diversity. Another LAC --Vassar College-- also with 2,400 students is not small as it is quite diverse, although not politically diverse.
I understand that many students at small, rural LACs enjoy their college experience. My point is not that small, rural LACs are undesirable; my point is that one must understand the campus culture–the dominant personality–of such schools. And that one should not have unrealistic expectations of the “nurturing” aspect of these schools.