Today I want to remark that I have a bias towards Liberal Arts education.

First, I feel that a broad sampling of disciplines helps young minds develop plasticity and the ability to synthesize new information quickly. While there are certainly many careers that are perennial in nature and slow to change, I feel that the bulk of careers in the future will require that we workers be able to learn new things on a daily basis.  

Second, a liberal arts program tends to provide more encounters that get one to think about the meaning behind things. This is a quality of life issue that I worry most institutes ignore. What good is a degree and strong skill set if cannot explain why anything is important?

Also it is my experience that students from a liberal arts background tend to be more successful in post-graduate settings. I wish I had another source to site on this.

Now not all liberal arts schools are created equal. Some schools lack a definitive vision of what their liberal arts program is meant to accomplish. It is not a bad idea to ask about what the school’s philosophy is and what they truly mean when they say that they are liberal arts. Also, I have found that you tend to get more intriguing responses from current students and faculty than are provided by admissions professionals and school websites.

I try to be very open with people about my bias for liberal arts programs AND I do understand that it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Parents, don’t worry. I am not going to force your child to apply to a school that is not a good fit for their mentality or yours. Again, I am only stating my bias for liberal arts programs. Maybe next time I will blog about why I feel all students should be involved in the Fine Arts at some level.