@jimmylieu173 I’ve attended both a small liberal arts college and transferred to a 26,000 person research university. There are pros and cons to each. Keep in mind that the best LACs do not feel like a glorified high school simply because they offer far far more resources than almost every high school in the country (I can’t speak for the ultra wealthy boarding schools), the students in them were almost all outstanding students in high school, and 20 year olds are much more mature than 15 year olds. There are plenty of outstanding LACs that are not located in rural areas. For instance, Occidental College is located in a pretty nice suburb of LA with plenty to do around campus. There are many more schools like it.
That being said, after a couple of years, liberal arts colleges can feel stifling. I’ve heard this from current juniors and seniors at a variety of LACs, and based on my experiences, it’s not an inaccurate complaint.
The great thing about American higher education is that we offer a variety of options and if you choose to take advantage of the resources which most good schools have in droves, you can be quite successful.