How To Look At Liberal Arts Colleges

Published by Stuart Nachbar at March 5, 2026

Bucknell considers itself to be a liberal arts college because it mainly educates undergraduates.

However, Bucknell is also split into schools of arts and sciences, business and engineering. Other schools organized like Bucknell would be considered regional universities. Yet Bucknell’s student body is far more national, hailing from 38 states.

Most colleges that I would consider small liberal arts colleges have less than half of Bucknell’s enrollment. They do not usually split their degree programs into separate schools. Liberal arts colleges usually have a “single doorway.” Even the most selective do not admit to a specific major. The most selective want students who have shown no serious academic weaknesses. The thought in admissions is that an accepted student can do the work, no matter the major. Less selective schools might be more forgiving, depending on the challenges that they face at filling a class.

Bucknell faces no such problem. It turned away just about two-thirds of applicants for the Class of 2029. Twenty-eight percent, a class of just over 1,000, decided to come. Interest in Bucknell has been quite stable. The university has attracted between 11,000 and 11,800 applications since 2021 and admitted about a third, according to the university’s most recent Fact Book. Their average SAT scores have been steady, too, between 1370 and 1390; the average ACT has been between 31 and 32. Bucknell is relatively isolated. But no family needs to fear that the school is struggling to attract, retain and graduate its students.

However, Bucknell is not the common liberal arts college.

Not only does it have separate undergraduate schools; it also plays NCAA D-1 scholarship sports, including football. Bucknell’s Patriot League rivals include Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and the University of Richmond, all relatively selective, academically rigorous, fiscally sound liberal arts colleges. Like Bucknell, Richmond is organized into separate schools for arts & sciences and business with a unique school for leadership. Bucknell, however, has more students. So, it’s enrollment will be my upper number,

So, aside from having less than half the enrollment of Bucknell, a single undergraduate school, lower profile athletics and single-doorway admissions, what else should you expect to find at a liberal arts college?

Honestly, it depends.

Curricula across true liberal arts colleges vary.

Some want their students to be exposed to every area for at least two classes: Foreign Language, Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Natural & Physical Sciences. Others have few or no requirements at all; advising is geared towards helping students to explore to choose a major, possibly a second major or multiple minors. An undecided student might appreciate the opportunity for exploration to find their true academic interests. Most liberal arts colleges require a senior experience, usually a capstone project or thesis.

Could this be a “better education” than one might receive at a much larger school that’s broken into smaller schools?

Perhaps.

Larger schools try to replicate this experience through honors colleges and programs that promise small classes, independent study and research, special living-learning spaces and more. This experience is less expensive for those who can get it. There’s also another big plus with big schools: you never run out of people to meet.

But what about those who can’t get into an honors college at a big school?

A liberal arts college might be their ticket, if the costs can work out. From my experience, double majors in subjects that might in two different schools at a large university, say business or economics and computer science, or economics and engineering, are easier to complete at a liberal arts school. There’s less bureaucracy to deal with. The faculty are more approachable. Career services work exclusively with undergrads.

Are these messages getting out to college-bound high school students?

Honestly, I don’t know.

The most selective liberal arts colleges have no problem attracting, retaining and graduating students. However, some truly strong liberal arts colleges have seen enrollment declines. For example:

Allegheny College (PA)

2020-21: 1,667 undergraduates
2024-25: 1,156 undergraduates

Franklin & Marshall College (PA)

2020-21: 2,264 undergraduates
2024-25: 1,808 undergraduates

Gettysburg College (PA)

2020-21: 2,264 undergraduates
2024-25: 2,104 undergraduates

Goucher College (MD)

2020-21: 1,106 undergraduates
2024-25: 981 undergraduates

Junita College (PA)

2020-21: 1,340 undergraduates
2024-25: 1,242 undergraduates

The College of Wooster (OH)

2020-21: 1,924 undergraduates
2024-25: 1,738 undergraduates

Other schools have had steady enrollments, even growth.

Denison University (OH) and Dickinson College (PA) are two good examples. So are Connecticut College (CT), Skidmore College (NY), and the University of Richmond (VA), among others.

Every liberal arts college will have different reasons for declines, steadiness or growth.

The key is to ask why. In one case, Gettysburg, the college started to grant graduate degrees. It did not offer them in 2020-21. Muhlenberg has added graduate programs as well. A college might have decided on a change in direction in financial aid, to provided better packages to smaller numbers of students. Investments in new academic programs might have had positive impacts or are too new to measure their impacts.

The same is true if a school tries to stay the course with an academic model that proved successful across multiple generations, though future students are showing their doubts. Some colleges are located in more isolated places or communities that have gone through hard economic times.

Campus visits are a must when considering liberal arts colleges.

These are more unique communities when chosen versus each other as opposed to when a family shops between public flagship state universities. When you tour the school and speak with an admissions officer ask:

What are the extracurricular activities that bond this campus?

Depending on the past history of the school as well as the student body it attracts this answer might be different upon each visit. Some schools are more oriented around the arts, activism, Greek social life, sports,or a surrounding community that offers welcome distractions from the academics.

How has this school changed its campus culture and student body in recent years?

Some have made serious efforts to recruit more diverse student bodies, shift from all-female to co-ed enrollment, place less emphasis on fraternities and sororities and invest more in sports to attract student-athletes. Some changes have had time, others have not.

Can this school provide sufficient financial aid to remain enrolled to graduation?

Net price calculators are helpful, although the results will be based on current direct costs: tuition & fees, room & board. I have advised families to forecast five percent increases in these charges for each year as well as the incidentals that they’re well aware of. Ask if the financial aid office will do an early assessment that may help to decide if the school is an option for Early Decision, which is binding, or Early Action, which is not.

What are your degree requirements? Students who had subjects that they truly disliked in high school might not want to take courses in those subjects in college?

I’ve seen colleges try to “reduce the pain” by offering science courses that don’t require a lab, among other practices. I’m not sure this is a good idea versus a more open curriculum to help encourage students find their true interests. Then again, I benefited from this approach myself.

What does the community offer off campus?

Not every town that plays host to a small college is a college-oriented town. Some schools have a social life that’s quite campus based; others help students to visit area attractions and larger cities. I’ve also visited liberal arts colleges where the community has gone through some hard economic times, though there are some attractions for college students.

Does this school offer academic advising around targeted populations?

If so, which targets? I’ve seen schools that became more invested in students who learn differently, pre-health advising, field-based experiential learning programs, and more.

How has this school adapted artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies across the curriculum?

I’ve seen some impressive science labs at a few liberal arts colleges. However, I’ve noticed that they’re less invested in computing than larger schools.

Although I did my undergraduate studies at Rutgers, a large public university, I came to appreciate the benefits of a liberal arts education, especially small classes at the start. Liberal arts colleges can be less intimidating, less bureaucratic but also more community oriented. However, there are so many communities to choose from. I enjoy helping families choose wisely.

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