Best Liberal Arts Colleges In Washington

Many students prefer to enter liberal arts colleges because most employers prefer to employ them and if you are looking for some of the best ones around, you have stumbled on the right article to guide you. Here in this blog post, I have curated a list of the best liberal art colleges in Washington that you can look into and consider applying for them.

Fresh out of high school or you are still a senior in high school that wants to further your studies, the next phase is higher education. This is the moment where you begin to make tons of research concerning where you will attend which is such a daunting task. There are just so many schools to look at and so many opportunities to consider like studying abroad for example.

And you have to be careful with the decision you make at this stage because the type of college you attend strongly determines your future. And if you don’t know yet, there are different kinds of colleges. Junior colleges, public & private universities, tribal colleges and universities, community colleges, for-profit colleges, vocational/technical and career colleges, colleges with a special focus, and liberal arts colleges, which is the main reason for this article, are the different types of colleges.

Among all of these colleges, liberal arts colleges are the most common among aspiring college students and you’d understand why very soon. Some of the top universities in the US are liberal arts colleges including Ivy League schools. The few ones that aren’t completely liberal arts colleges, combine liberal arts education in their curriculum like MIT.

At this point, you have an understanding of the different kinds of colleges there are which should serve as an important asset in picking a college for you. Another thing you should learn about is the difference between early action vs early decision, this is a big one to know about as it can help facilitate your admission into any college of your choice.

Here in this blog post is a curated list of liberal art colleges in Washington for domestic and international students looking for colleges focused on liberal arts education. This post will help you cut down the stress of researching for schools on the World Wide Web because you can just see all of the best liberal art colleges in Washington here and go ahead to apply for the one that suits you best.

Before we go on to define what liberal art colleges are and how they work, I’d like to recommend other helpful guides that will help you at this stage when you are still picking out schools.

If you don’t like the idea of learning the traditional way, then you should totally look into online colleges where you can earn an accredited degree from colleges in the US from the comfort of your home. Those looking to pursue a career in the legal field should look into law schools to find one that suits them best. And if you are into arts, film schools or art schools, in general, are the place for you.

Having said that, let’s take a quick look at the meaning of liberal arts colleges, how they work, what makes them different from typical universities, and why most students prefer to go there.

What Is Liberal Arts College?

A liberal art college is a four-year higher institution whose curriculum focuses on the arts, sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Liberal art colleges only offer undergraduate degree programs and they are also well known for operating small class sizes.

These colleges can be really lively as well because there are fewer part-time students and students who commute to colleges. Most of the students are enrolled in full-time study formats and live on-campus too.

Attending a liberal art college means that the curriculum is solely focused on liberal arts education and the following are what you stand to gain from an education like this:

  • You will develop a strong sense of social responsibility
  • Develop and equip yourself with strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving abilities
  • Ability to apply your knowledge and skillset to solve real-world problems.
  • A liberal art degree prepares you for diverse career paths

According to a study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, four out of five employers prefer new college graduates who have an education grounded in the liberal arts.

liberal arts colleges in Washington

Best Liberal Arts Colleges In Washington

The following are the best liberal arts colleges in Washington and one of them is where you belong.

  • The University of Puget Sound
  • Whitman College
  • Evergreen State College

1.     The University of Puget Sound

The University of Puget Sound is a small liberal art college located in Tacoma, Washington, and was founded in 1888. It is also private and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college has about 2,000 students in undergraduate programs. If you are looking for a school with a small population, Puget Sound is the place for you. Its student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1.

Here at the University of Puget Sound, students are at liberty to explore and shape their studies how they see fit and they will get all the support they need every step of the way. There are over 50 areas of study for students to select from and scholarships are offered to 90% of the students. The university is also ranked by the US News & World Report as one of the best liberal art colleges of 2022 and the best in undergraduate teaching.

The in-state and out-of-state tuition at the University of Puget Sound are the same at $52,495 per year. The acceptance rate is 87% which is really high and can easily pass as one of the universities with high acceptance rates.

2.     Whitman College

Next on the list of best liberal arts colleges in Washington is Whitman College located in Walla Walla. It has a really small student population of about 1,500 pursuing degrees in 53 majors and 33 minors. Student to faculty ratio is 9:1 and has been operating since 1859. It is also a private college so expect the tuition to be on the high side.

Whitman College operates as a welcoming and supportive community with a vibrant campus setting that gives you the opportunity to grow, think, explore, thrive, and change the world for the better. The US News & World Report ranks Whitman College as the no.1 liberal art college in the pacific northwest. The college also offers up to $30 million worth of scholarships annually.

The acceptance rate at Whitman is 54% which is somehow in the middle and means entry can be quite tight but still easy when compared to colleges like Harvard and Yale. Tuition is $55,982.

3.     Evergreen State College

Evergreen State College is one of the best liberal arts colleges in Washington and here’s why. The US News & World Report ranks the school as the no.1 most innovative school in regional universities west and also one of the top public schools in the US. It is a public liberal arts college located in Olympia, Washington with a small undergraduate student population of 2,000.

Here at Evergreen, there are over 45 programs for you to choose from or you can build your own program to achieve your goals. International students are equally accepted and the admission requirements for all students are an online application, a $50 application fee, official transcripts, and SAT/ACT test score or an application essay of 300—500 words.

Evergreen State College has a whopping overall acceptance rate of 98% and there are more females here than males and females are also accepted more than males. The cost of tuition here is $7,300 per year for Washington residents and $28,000 per year for out-of-state residents.

These are the liberal art colleges in Washington and their details which you can use to compare them and determine where you’d be going for the next school year as a freshman.

Liberal Arts Colleges In Washington – FAQs

Is the University of Washington a liberal arts school?

The University of Washington is not exactly a liberal arts school but it houses a College of Arts & Sciences that offers liberal arts education.

What is the difference between a university and a liberal arts college?

The major difference between a university and a liberal arts college is that the latter concentrates solely on undergraduate degrees while the former focuses on both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

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