2007-05-23 14:19:43 · 11 answers · asked by kmacchoder20 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
What a great example of the reason why you shouldnt ask any serious questions on Yahoo. It's evident that several of these folks are completely clueless about what a "liberal arts" college is.
The American tradition for liberal arts colleges began in the late 1700s. These were small colleges that focus on undergraduate education in the humanities and sciences. They are scattered around New England and they spread. west with the frontier. So, there are some famous ones in the Midwest, South and today all over the USA.
Some of the really famous old ones are Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Colby, Bates, Trinity and Wesleyan in New England, Haverford, Gettysburg, Swarthmore further south, and schools like Grinnell, Wooster, Beloit, in the Midwest, or Davidson or Guilford in the South, or Claremont, Harvey Mudd or Mills on the west coast..
Universities like UChicago, Brown and Dartmouth (all the Ivies, really) are not really a part of this group because although they have very fine, elite undergraduate programs, they also have top ranked graduate schools that grant many Doctoral degrees. They do not focus almost exclusively on undergrads as do the other schools named.
It is really pointless to ask which is the best. They all have their own strong points and their own campus culture. You can get a truly first class education at many of these schools. One of the ways to tell that they are doing a good job is to look at the level of alumni loyalty they have. Williams college, for example, is famous for having supposedly the highest level of alumni support of any college in America. The US News ranking have a separate category for these schools - Liberal Arts colleges as distinct from National Universities.
2007-05-23 16:38:26 · answer #1 · answered by matt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
State universities aren't "liberal arts colleges".
There are plenty of excellent liberal arts schools, but the campus atmospheres vary wildly. Schools like Oberlin and Wesleyan are politically "liberal" to an extreme, while others can be Republican strongholds at the other extreme. Even at both extremes, you can get a great education, but you may not be as comfortable in a politically active environment.
"Top" liberal arts schools include Amherst, Wesleyan, Trinity, and Williams in New England; Oberlin, DePauw, Rhodes, Macalester, and others in the midwest; more in California.
2007-05-23 14:47:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
State universities are NOT liberal arts schools.
Top liberal arts skills include Williams, Amherst, Wellesley, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Skidmore, Swathmore, Brown, Dartmouth, Oberlin.
2007-05-23 14:51:37 · answer #3 · answered by eri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of you are morons...everyone who puts "University of..." doesn't know what a liberal arts school actually is. One person mentioned the list above with Williams...etc...US news publishes their rankings every year..
2007-05-23 15:51:35 · answer #4 · answered by ericthedmd 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
University of Chicago
2007-05-23 15:43:33 · answer #5 · answered by Jay309 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Williams College (MA)
2007-05-23 14:30:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Indiana University, without question
An absolutely beautiful campus, with a very diverse liberal arts offering
2007-05-23 14:28:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Liberty University. Its a desirable school if you're antigay, somewhat racist and offers a semi-decent liberal arts education. It was ranked 5th tier by US News and is known for its extreme homphobia
2007-05-23 14:32:22 · answer #8 · answered by ibid 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
The University of Mississippi. Small town, rich in tradition, the best professors, and low price. You can't beat it. I could live there the rest of my life. Give it a try.
2007-05-23 14:27:57 · answer #9 · answered by Confused22 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
University of Michigan
Go BLUE!
2007-05-23 14:27:06 · answer #10 · answered by Mopar Muscle Gal 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋