<p>Hi! I am currently a rising junior and at the moment I am leaning towards a small school. I by no means can get into an Ivy but I am in top 10% of my class. I was wondering, in your opinion, what are like the top 10 small schools you would recommend. I am leaning towards a journalism or business degree. Also I am not worried about a “name brand” school, just one that provides a well-rounded education.</p>
<p>Thank you a lot :)</p>
<p>P.S. If you are feeling extra opinionated, what are your thoughts on small vs big schools</p>
<p>This resource is a good place to start. Be aware that there are many other fine small schools, and that many of these colleges are pretty pricy. For me, a small LAC was an ideal place to learn and grow, to get to know professors well, and it was a great springboard into competitive grad programs.</p>
<p>Most small schools (liberal arts colleges) do not have business or journalism, though there are some. In those cases you would have to major in English and Economics.</p>
<p>Small schools are sometimes in rural areas w/o much to do around them (not always)</p>
<p>Small schools have fewer profs teaching, so if you don’t like a prof, harder to avoid. Also, fewer section offerings so if a needed class is only offered at 8am, you have to take that one. </p>
<p>Larger schools have more majors, more profs, more course sections, more class offerings, etc. Since they are large, even if they’re not in a big city, usually there are more things to do and see off-campus.</p>
<p>Have you talked to your parents about how much they’ll spend? IF not, do that first. That will largely determine where you should apply.</p>
<p>Bottomline: when you look at small schools, look at colleges that have a join program with a bigger University. Ex. Carnegie Mellon University has a joint program with University of Pittsburgh. Classes not available at CMU can be taken at Pitt. Lots of LAC’s in Northeast have a joint program with UMass-Amherst.</p>
<p>It is so small that you will meet everyone. You will easily make friends with the upperclassmen, not just people in your grade/class. The professors care about you, they want you to suceed. Classes are very small. The Tuition is expensive being a private college. There is an academic resource center where you can sign up for tutors or even take tests</p>
<p>This choice of small v big is personal. My S felt a LAC was too small/too confining and attended a mid-sized university while my D fell in love with the intimate atmosphere and focused her search almost entirely on LACs. Both children are thriving at their college of choice. I suggest that you visit some different size schools and see what feels right for you. You can get a great education at any sized school.</p>
<p>Bottomline: when you look at small schools, look at colleges that have a join program with a bigger University. Ex. Carnegie Mellon University has a joint program with University of Pittsburgh. Classes not available at CMU can be taken at Pitt. Lots of LAC’s in Northeast have a joint program with UMass-Amherst.</p>
<p>True, but not only can that cause a transportation issue, it can play havoc with your schedule because you have to allow a much bigger block of time to allow for getting to and from that other campus. </p>
<p>So, if you take a 10-10:50 am class on another campus, then you lose 2-3 hours. You can’t scedule a 9 am class on your campus and you can’t schedule a 11 am class.</p>
<p>Both are fairly large as LACs go, in the 2200-3000 undergrads range. If you have high test scores to match your class rank, you’d have a shot at a full tuition scholarship at Susquehanna.</p>
<p>Emerson is extremely strong in journalism and related areas, but it doesn’t offer business. If you’re willing to go a bit larger, there’s Santa Clara and maybe Wake Forest.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids is right to emphasize the cost issue. With the exception of a few public liberal arts colleges, most small colleges are private and therefore expensive barring financial and/or merit aid.</p>
<p>Trinity University has a very good business program. I much prefer small schools. I think most students feel more a part of a small class, and are more likely to attend and do well. The opportunity to really get to know your professors is incredibly valuable. Big schools can save you a lot of money - it is much more efficient for a professor to teach a class of a 1,000 than a class of 25. However it does you no good to go to a big state school in order to save money and flunk out in two years. Also remember to compare graduation rates. For most big schools it will take 5 to 6 years to graduate. Many small schools graduate 70 to 90% of their students in 4 years.</p>