When choosing a college, size matters; while more prominent universities offer diverse academic programs and extensive resources, some students prefer a smaller, more intimate learning environment. Small campus colleges provide students personalized attention from faculty and staff, a close-knit community, and the opportunity to form meaningful relationships with peers.
In this article, we will explore some of the best small-campus colleges in the United States, taking a closer look at what sets them apart and why they might be the perfect fit for certain students. We will focus on colleges with fewer than 5,000 undergraduate students, examining their academic programs, campus culture, and student life.
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Why Should You Attend The Best Small Campus Colleges
Attending a small campus college can provide many benefits that more prominent universities cannot match. Here are a few reasons why you should consider attending the best small-campus colleges:
- Personalized attention: Small campus colleges often have lower student-to-faculty ratios, meaning professors have more time to provide individualized attention and support to their students. They can get to know you personally, and you can have more opportunities to ask questions, participate in discussions, and receive feedback on your work.
- Tight-knit community: Small campus colleges often have a close-knit community where students and faculty get to know each other well. It can lead to a sense of belonging and support and opportunities for networking and building relationships that can last a lifetime.
- More opportunities to get involved: With a more petite student body, small campus colleges often have more opportunities for students to get involved in extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations. It can help you build leadership skills, gain new experiences, and connect with like-minded individuals.
- Flexibility: Small campus colleges often offer more flexible academic programs, allowing you to create a customized educational experience that meets your unique needs and goals. It may include opportunities to pursue independent research, take interdisciplinary courses, or combine majors and minors creatively.
- Access to resources: Just because a college is small doesn’t mean it lacks resources. Many small campus colleges have strong alum networks, research opportunities, and partnerships with other institutions and organizations that can provide valuable resources and opportunities for students.
In summary, attending the best small-campus colleges can provide a more personalized, supportive, and flexible educational experience and opportunities to get involved and build relationships that can last a lifetime.
10 Best Small Campus Colleges In 2023
Here are the best small-campus colleges
#1. Williams College – Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA
Williams College is a highly regarded liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Founded in 1793, it has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and intellectual rigor, making it one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States.
One of the key features that sets Williams College apart is its small size. With just over 2,000 undergraduate students, the college offers an intimate learning environment that fosters close relationships between students and faculty.
It allows for personalized attention, mentorship, support, and the opportunity for in-depth exploration of a wide range of academic subjects.
Williams College also boasts a highly selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of just 12% in 2021.
This selectivity allows the college to attract some of the brightest and most talented students worldwide, creating a vibrant and intellectually stimulating community.
#2. Amherst College – Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Amherst College is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this private liberal arts college has a student body of just over 1,800 students, making it one of the smallest colleges in the country.
What sets Amherst College apart is its rigorous academic program and its commitment to providing a well-rounded education to its students.
The college’s student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1 allows for a highly personalized and intimate learning experience. Amherst offers 40 majors in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences, as well as several interdisciplinary programs.
The curriculum challenges students to think critically, creatively, and analytically and to develop a deep understanding of their chosen fields of study.
In addition to its academic excellence, Amherst College has a vibrant campus life. The college offers many student organizations, and clubs focused on the arts, athletics, community service, and cultural and social issues.
The college also has a robust athletic program, with 27 varsity teams competing in the NCAA Division III.
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#3. Pomona College – Claremont, California, USA
Pomona College is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States. Located in Claremont, California, Pomona is a private liberal arts college that has consistently ranked among the top colleges in the country.
With an enrollment of around 1,700 students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1, Pomona provides a highly personalized and intensive educational experience.
One of the critical strengths of Pomona College is its academic program. The college offers a broad range of majors and interdisciplinary programs, and its faculty are highly respected scholars and researchers.
Pomona’s emphasis on small class sizes and close student-faculty relationships allows students to engage in rigorous intellectual inquiry and pursue their passions in depth.
In addition to its strong academic program, Pomona College has a vibrant campus life. The college has tight-knit community, and students have numerous opportunities to get involved in extracurricular activities and leadership roles.
Pomona has over 200 student organizations, from cultural groups and athletic teams to academic clubs and service organizations. The college also hosts numerous events throughout the year, including concerts, lectures, and festivals.
#4. Swarthmore College – Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA
Swarthmore College is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States. Its Located just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Swarthmore.
It’s known for its rigorous academic programs, a solid commitment to social justice, and beautiful campus.
One of the defining features of Swarthmore is its small size. With just over 1,600 undergraduate students, the college provides an intimate learning environment where students can work closely with professors and classmates.
This small size also means students can access personalized attention and support, including individualized academic advising and research opportunities.
Despite its small size, Swarthmore offers many academic programs across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
The college has a renowned academic excellence, with a challenging curriculum that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and intellectual exploration.
Many of the college’s programs are interdisciplinary, and students get encouraged to pursue a variety of interests.
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#5. Harvey Mudd College – Claremont, California, USA
Harvey Mudd College is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States. Founded in 1955, Harvey Mudd College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California.
The college is part of the Claremont Colleges Consortium, which includes five undergraduate and two graduate schools.
Harvey Mudd College has a rigorous academic programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and its commitment to a well-rounded education that includes humanities and social sciences.
The college is consistently ranked among the top 10 undergraduate engineering programs in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. It is also highly rated in other STEM fields, such as computer science and physics.
The college’s small student body of approximately 900 students allows for a close-knit community and personalized attention from faculty members.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 8:1, which means that students have ample opportunity to work closely with their professors both in and out of the classroom.
#6. Bowdoin College – Brunswick, Maine, USA
Bowdoin College is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States. Located in Brunswick, Maine, this private liberal arts college got founded in 1794 and had a long history of academic excellence, social responsibility, and community engagement.
One of the most distinctive features of Bowdoin College is its small size. The college offers an intimate and personalized learning environment with a total enrollment of just over 1,800 students.
Students benefit from small class sizes, close relationships with faculty members, and a strong sense of community.
Despite its small size, Bowdoin College has its academic rigor and intellectual vitality. The college offers 39 majors and 42 minors across various disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics.
Students are encouraged to explore multiple fields of study and engage in interdisciplinary research and scholarship.
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#7. Claremont McKenna College – Claremont, California, USA
Claremont McKenna College is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States. Its located in Claremont, California, the college is part of the Claremont Colleges consortium, which includes seven top-tier liberal arts colleges and graduate schools.
With a student body of just over 1,300 undergraduate students, Claremont McKenna College provides an intimate and personalized learning environment.
Students benefit from small class sizes, engaged faculty, and a supportive community that fosters intellectual curiosity and academic excellence.
One of the defining characteristics of Claremont McKenna College is its strong focus on leadership and public service.
The college’s mission is to educate students about thoughtful and responsible leadership in the world, and it offers a variety of programs and initiatives to support this goal.
#8. Wellesley College – Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA
Wellesley College is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States. Founded in 1870, it is a private liberal arts college for women in Wellesley, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston.
With a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 2,500 students, Wellesley is known for its rigorous academic program, vibrant community, and beautiful campus.
One of the critical reasons why Wellesley College is considered one of the best small-campus colleges is its commitment to academic excellence.
The college offers various majors and minors across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. It is particularly well-known for its economics, political science, and women’s studies programs.
The faculty has accomplished scholars and researchers committed to providing a challenging and intellectually stimulating learning environment.
Wellesley College also has a strong sense of community, which is fostered by the campus’s small size and the close relationships between students and faculty.
The college’s residential system encourages students to live and learn together. A variety of student organizations, clubs, and activities provide opportunities for students to get involved in campus life.
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#9. Haverford College – Haverford, Pennsylvania, USA
Haverford College is a highly acclaimed liberal arts college in Haverford, Pennsylvania. With a student body of just over 1,300 students, it is considered one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States.
One of the defining features of Haverford College is its commitment to academic excellence. The school boasts a rigorous program emphasizing critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and a broad-based liberal arts education.
Students get encouraged to explore a wide range of subjects and to pursue their academic interests through independent research and interdisciplinary coursework.
Haverford’s faculty comprises some of the most distinguished scholars and researchers in their fields, providing students with unparalleled access to expertise and mentorship.
Haverford College also places a strong emphasis on community and social responsibility. The school is renowned for its Honor Code, which dates back to 1896 and governs all aspects of student life.
Under the Honor Code, students are responsible for maintaining academic integrity, respecting one another, and upholding the institution’s values.
This commitment to integrity and fault fosters a strong sense of community and a shared sense of purpose among Haverford students.
10 Middlebury College – Middlebury, Vermont, USA
Middlebury College is a prestigious liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont. With a population of approximately 2,500, Middlebury is one of the best small-campus colleges in the United States.
Middlebury is renowned for its rigorous academic programs, distinguished faculty, and stunning natural surroundings.
The college offers over 44 majors and diverse academic programs, including the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Additionally, Middlebury has a strong language program, offering courses in over 30 languages, including less commonly taught languages like Hebrew, Arabic, and Chinese.
One of the hallmarks of Middlebury is its commitment to experiential learning. The college offers a variety of opportunities for students to engage in hands-on, real-world experiences.
It includes study abroad programs in locations worldwide, internships with leading organizations, and research opportunities with faculty members.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are frequently fewer research facilities, resources, and options for student housing and dining at small schools than at larger ones. There are sometimes fewer options for extracurricular activities for pupils because tiny schools typically have constrained resources.
Small colleges and universities, or institutions with fewer than 1,000 students, provide students with a more personalized experience. Classes are small, and large lecture halls are less common. Students are likelier to form relationships with their professors and network with other students on campus.
Seminars and lectures are two of the most common types of college classes. Seminars are smaller, discussion-based classes that encourage open communication and critical thinking. These college courses get taught in small classrooms.
Small colleges typically have class sizes ranging from 15 to 22 students. It is ideal for students who require a lot of attention and are eager to have all of their questions answered. T.A.s only teach first-year classes (of ten to twenty students) (teaching assistants).
Mini College is an all-day program for first through sixth-grade students who want to learn more about the world around them. Students are divided into grade levels and attend three classes per day.
Conclusion
Small campus colleges offer a unique and personalized educational experience that you cannot find at larger institutions.
With smaller class sizes, students can engage more closely with their professors and peers, allowing for a more intimate and collaborative learning environment.
Small colleges often have a strong sense of community, with students and faculty working together to create a supportive and inclusive campus culture.
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