Why STEM Students Should Consider Liberal Arts Colleges
Elton Lin
As your student builds their college list and researches different schools, they will find that many schools fall under one of two categories: liberal arts colleges and large research universities. For STEM students, it may seem obvious that research universities are the way to go – but that isn’t necessarily the case!
While research universities certainly give students valuable opportunities and resources, a 2014 report by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) found that about 21% more undergraduates stay in STEM fields (as opposed to changing majors, dropping out, etc.) at smaller private colleges than those in public universities.
Why? What do liberal arts colleges do for their STEM-minded students that research universities don’t (at least, to the same degree)? Here are just a few examples:
STEM DUAL-DEGREE PROGRAMS
You may have heard of 3-2 engineering programs, in which students attend a liberal arts college for an accelerated three years and attain a liberal arts degree, then attend another school for two to study engineering and get an engineering degree (which can be a bachelor’s or a master’s). These programs are both cost- and time-efficient, and graduates from these programs end up with the more rounded education and expansive skillset that are often sought after by employers.
Dual-degree programs can be 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, etc., and cover fields other than engineering, too, such as CS, Medicine, Chemistry, and more!
TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY
Liberal arts colleges often have much smaller student bodies, not to mention no graduate students. This facilitates an intimate campus community and supportive alumni network, which not only encourages collaboration among peers (instead of the competitive environment that is not uncommon in STEM fields), but also increases job and research opportunities both before and after graduation.
UNDERGRADUATE-FOCUSED
Unlike research universities, which are also home to graduate students pursuing their own education, most liberal arts colleges are exclusively for undergraduates. This means resources and research opportunities that would otherwise be shared with graduate students are now purely at undergraduates’ disposal.
CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS AND MORE INTIMATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE WITH FACULTY
In larger universities, many courses (such as intro-level ones) are taught by graduate students, not faculty. Liberal arts college courses, however, are almost always taught by faculty, which makes it easier for students to form bonds with their professors – crucial for networking, their learning experience, and a more intimate research experience!
Examples of great liberal arts colleges for STEM students:
Amherst College
Carleton College
Bucknell College
Bowdoin College
Harvey Mudd College
Smith College
Williams College
(For more help building a college list, check out our Guide to College Fit: Building a List and Researching Colleges, available for free on our website.)
If you want to learn more about high school coaching, college consulting, and how we at ILUMIN can tailor a specific plan and college list for your student, feel free to set up a free consultation with us!