Introduction to my new book Awesome Small Colleges (that just might save you money) to be published summer of 2023. V. Peter Pitts, M.A., U3K4College Counseling, Retired Admissions Professional and author Dedication: This book has been a labor of love for all the dedicated faculty and staff who work for small private colleges. These individuals devote their lives to helping students become the best possible versions of themselves—a special thanks to the individuals who submitted essays for publication in this book. “What makes your college special?” “How do you make your college affordable?” Forty-two colleges answer these questions in this book. All the colleges in this book are very small (less than 3,500 undergraduate students). I chose this demographic due to the degree to which personal growth is inevitable and dramatic, simply due to the size of the college. It is a matter of sociometrics and probability. Imagine a college with only 800 students. What is the probability of a student becoming president of the student body? Now imagine a college of 35,000 students. What is the probability of this student becoming the president of the student body? We can apply this comparison to any area (academic or extracurricular). What are the odds of a non-theatre major getting the “lead” in a play during the first year? What are the odds of being able to play a sport, be in a theatre production, or sing in the choir? What are a student’s chances of being a “starter” in more than one sport, the first chair in the orchestra, and a class officer all in a student’s first two years of college? What are the odds of getting a full tuition or a performing arts scholarship when competing with a couple dozen students instead of a couple hundred students? It’s just math—and common sense. Imagine an introductory psychology class. At a college of 800 students, there might be 20 to 30 students in the class. At a college of 35,000 students, 40 to 200 students might be in the class. Responding to a professor’s questions, asking questions, and getting extra help—all have a higher probability of occurring at a smaller college. Classroom participation is not only possible; it is pretty much expected. In most cases, classes at small colleges are taught by Ph.D.s instead of teaching assistants. Professors are not hired for their research and publishing potential; they are hired based on their passion for teaching students. Change at a small college is inevitable and unavoidable. You cannot just sit in the back of the class and never talk. If you are quiet and shy going in as a first-year student, you will not be that way upon graduation. Skipping class is not only a bad idea but also potentially embarrassing (I know a professor who would take his entire class to a “repeat offender’s” room to hold class). If a student has the ability to be an “A” student but is cruising through getting “Bs,” professors will pull the student aside and have a one-on-one intense conversation that can, in itself, change a student’s life. Many colleges in this book give a “C+” student a chance to become an “A” student. “A+” students from high school are given extra opportunities all four years of college for research, writing, and giving presentations. It is virtually impossible at a small college to go through college passively (just going to class, taking tests, and hanging out with friends). So yes, all colleges change lives, but not all colleges change lives dynamically due to their size. Students, faculty, administration, staff, maintenance workers, cafeteria workers, and others on campus genuinely know and care for these students. There is a real “family” atmosphere in these colleges. Of course, as several people have brought to my attention, it is possible for a student at a very large university to have a “small college-type” education, but it takes special effort: 1.If you have your choice of large universities (universities are made up of several colleges), consider a large university with a smaller college in your area of study. 2.Go to class (every class). Don’t just buy notes from students who did attend the class. 3. Sit in the front of the classroom. 4.Ask questions from the professor or teaching assistant (T.A.) in and out of class. 5.Answer questions in class when posed by the professor or T.A. 6.Talk, from time to time, with your professor or T.A. before and after class. 7.Make it a goal to find and befriend some Ph.D. faculty mentors. 8.Talk with your advisor early in your four years about internships and study abroad opportunities. 9.Apply for, accept and excel at internships. 10.Do study abroad, even if only for a short-term trip. 11.Join at least three clubs or organizations and work hard to attain leadership positions in at least one of those organizations. 12.Go to orientation. 13.Read all announcements. Check your emails every day. 14.If you go to a university with many other students from your high school, do not room with (or near) any of them. Intentionally room and make friends with students not from your high school, your state, your ethnicity, or your country. Make sure you have a diverse group of friends. 15.Don’t just sit in your room by yourself (especially on weekends). Get out and do things and make new friends. 16.Get tutoring, even to boost your grade from B+ to an A, and then become a tutor when the opportunity presents itself. 17.Join a study group. 18.Get to know the professionals in the career planning and placement office early in your years in college (don’t wait until your senior year). 19.Take lots of classes that involve doing research and writing. 20.Even if not required, insist on taking a speech class and a writing class and make sure that some of your other courses involve lots of writing and speaking in class. 21.Get a campus job that helps you get more involved with campus and interact with various people. 22.Get to know your resident assistant on your residence hall floor, and then consider becoming an R.A. yourself when you are an upperclassman. 23.Keep informed (your campus newspaper, radio, and TV will make announcements). 24.Attend campus events (athletic, music, theatre, other). These are all things that pretty much either happen, are strongly encouraged, or even required at small colleges. These are all things that will help you develop the soft skills that employers love and will give you a strong resume upon graduation. It is no accident that virtually all the colleges in this book have more than a 95 percent placement rate within six months after graduation. Employers love to hire students who “check the most boxes” in terms of soft skills: Communication Teamwork Adaptability/Flexibility Leadership Organization Problem-solving Interpersonal/Social Skills (getting along with people) Work Ethic Time Management Critical Thinking Decision-making Stress-management Conflict management/resolution Creativity Positive argumentation (agreeing to disagree politely) Resourcefulness Ability to persuade Openness to criticism Ability to negotiate Innovation (thinking outside the box) Self-confidence Positive attitude Pleasant personality/friendliness Accountability Punctuality Ability to take initiative Empathy/emotional intelligence and awareness Tact Self-motivation Cultural fitness Ability to network Self-management Critical observation These are critical skills to have in the world of work and in your day-to-day life with your significant other and your friends. A little tact and a positive attitude go a long way! Let’s hear from some of the students from colleges in this book. We asked these questions: “How has your college experience changed your life?” and “What do you like most about your experiences at a small college?” “Attending a small college rather than a university allowed me more opportunities than I could have ever imagined. First and foremost, the class sizes are much smaller which allowed me to have a better relationship with my peers and professors. You have a name, not a number, and you are part of a family, not a class. As a science major, I was in the lab using all types of laboratory equipment my very first semester. A lot of my science labs were more individualized and researched based rather than following a standard protocol. In addition to my science degree, I was able to be a part of the education certification program. I was out observing in a high school my first year. I was also able to have a minor in psychology, be a tour guide, an orientation leader, and a chemistry teaching assistant, and have an internship that combined both my love for science and passion for teaching all in one. Attending a small school during the pandemic allowed me to continue to receive the education I deserved with very little online instruction, unlike some neighboring larger schools that remained remote or hybrid. Small schools have large opportunities!” ----Breana McNamara, Lycoming College, Class of 2023 “Albion has a way of involving students with so many amazing people that it becomes more than just going to class. It becomes a total experience. Creating a legacy is super hard to do alone, but creating a circle of friends or a community with amazing individuals who back you and support you makes it easier to leave a mark.” ----Anthony Neal, Albion College, Class of 2023 “If you really want to learn something — and be able to apply what you learn to the world, this is the place for you. Nels Christensen [a well-known and popular English professor] has to be experienced. There are cool people here who teach you things. And if you want to change things, a small college is the right place to do that. This is the place to have a meaningful impact now and to learn how to have one in the future.” ----Liam Rappleye, Albion College, Class of 2025 “Classes here are discussion-based. I learn so much when we all contribute to the learning by sharing our thoughts and theories. I love the debate and the education we provide each other. At Albion, we bring out the best in each other every day.” ----Jessica Harvey, Albion College, Class of 2026 “At Albion, people really care about students. Professors aren’t here to cash a check and move on to research. I like knowing my professors and that they know me by name. My buddies were here from another school, and we walked into a local restaurant. One of my professors was there and called me out by name. My buddies could not believe one of my professors knew me by name.” ----Teddy Hirschfield, Albion College, Class of 2024 The title of this book also contains the words “save you money.” As this book is being written (2023), the most expensive colleges in the U.S. are (for tuition, housing, food, and fees) running about $83,000. The average cost for colleges in this book (sticker price, without any aid) is approximately $52,000 (ranging from $31K to $71K). However, these colleges give generous amounts of merit aid (merit aid is gift assistance, not based on family income, that never has to be paid back), so the average out-of-pocket cost (without having to take out loans) is approximately $29,000 (ranging from $21K to 34K). Some families pay a lot less, some pay a little more, depending on family finances and academic record. Most of these colleges award scholarships to the majority, or, in some cases, all incoming freshmen, often with their admission letter. All in all, families have found that the colleges in this book have done a great job of making college affordable. These colleges are also small enough to truly listen to and respond with empathy to a family’s special or unusual family circumstances that affect their ability to pay. In the United States, there are literally hundreds of small private colleges very much like the 42 colleges in this book. They each have their distinctive flavor and offerings. My hope, as I compiled information for this book, is that I have at least piqued your interest in small colleges, and that students and their parents will open their eyes to colleges that were not originally on their radar. There is no need to “follow the herd” to the most popular and populous colleges. My hope is that students make sure to at least check out small private residential colleges. These colleges are just too good to ignore! A few notes about the structure of this book: Chapters were assigned randomly. There is no ranking system of any kind. Chapters were written by the colleges themselves (usually by their marketing/communications and/or admissions professionals). At the end of each narrative, there is a list of majors, minors, and programs at their college, plus some basic statistics and contact information. At the end of the book there is a master index of majors/minors, designed to enable students to quickly find some colleges that can help them achieve their career goals. Note: the book will be published in summer 2023. A modified version of the above narrative will be the introduction to the book. Stay tuned! In the meantime, check out my other website at U3K4College.com for more than 400 fascinating blogs about programs at small colleges throughout the United States.