to college? Just got back with Teenager on our first college campus visit! We rode through a large state university (will go on a formal tour another time); very exciting!

Where did you all go? State, private, big, small??

Big state for me and my husband.

Small private for my daughter. It was part of a consortium of 5 private colleges. If one school didn't have the class you wanted, you could go to one of the others for the same price.

We were lucky. Our daughter finished her BS in 3 years. Then came back and got her BS RN in another year. Two bachelors degrees in 4 years is pretty good!

Small liberal arts in MI. Not too big, not too small, and far enough away from home to still be close. Well rounded education with many choices....highly recommended!

My son has chosen a small private school and he can't wait. He went for a weekend for a 'Road Trip' and now feels totally comfortable with the campus. He loves the professors he has met. The school is well equipped in the science department (his specialty) and has more equipment than the big universities. Plus, it's only an hour and a half from home.

Went to a small private college here. Great experiences with classes, professors, and advisors. It's nice when the professors know who you are! They're a lot more willing to work with you as opposed to having classes with 400 people in them.

Started at a small private school, transferred to a small-midsize state school. Each had its perks and the combination of the two VERY different environments was wonderful. Of course, the money saved at the state school was very nice.

Small private liberal arts. Kind of wish in retrospect that I'd gone to a larger state school.

I went to a small state school. It was between that and a small private school. I never wanted to go to a large school and I don't regret it.

small private school hour from home. it was the very best of both worlds. we were required to live on campus and it was a great community feeling. you knew almost everybody and they knew you. Husband went to Big state school. he was lucky if his profs knew his name. Some of my profs are still dear friends. I think it is a personalaity thing, i would have sunk at a big place were you more a number. i flurished in a smaller place where people knew you and about you.

At first I wanted a small school (my sister went to a private school, smaller than my high school). But I eventually ended up at a big state school (go Illini!).

I loved it - it was big enough that if you wanted to avoid groups of people, you could (like old "friends" from high school). It was also easy to change majors (which I did 3 times). Sure, the professors in the beginning didn't know my name, but when I finally stuck with a major and took classes in my major the classes were very small (12-20).

Small liberal arts college in Iowa. Regularly in top 25 of midwestern liberal arts colleges in US News & World Reports annual ranking. Six of my siblings also went there, and two of my nieces are now there.

Local State college. But since I was a "non-traditional" student - went back to college after I married - I really wasn't interested in the social scene or other activities. The "small town" atmosphere would have been a big attraction to me - traditional student or not.

Community College

Small State College - I liked being able to be involved in activities, etc. My son goes to large State University and is happy, but isn't involved much in campus activities. Just working and studying hard to try to get into med school.

State school...met my hubby there. All of his siblings have also graduated from there. I was the only one in our family to go to college, but then again I am the baby by a long shot.

Small liberal arts college. After attending large schools for graduate degrees, glad I went the small route for undergrad.

Small Private University and State University. Lived on campus/had fun/made lots of friends at small univ - - but had more classes to choose from and actually "learned" more at the state univ. The state school was soooooo much cheaper, too.

I went to a small state military academy that was all-male at the time - The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. However I didn't go as a cadet. I went directly from high school into the Army for two years active duty. After that I attended the Citadel as a Veteran Student. There were a couple of dozen of us and we attended class with the cadets, but didn't have to do all the military stuff associated with the school since we'd already been there, done that.

My oldest daughter is about to graduate from a very small private all-female college. The tuition was very high, but there was a lot more foundation funded scholarship money available than at state schools, so that evened things out alot.

Thanks for all of your comments.

Does anyone know anything about Champlain College in Vermont? We're going up in April for a tour.

For the money I'd recommend a state school unless there are scholarship offers from the small private school involved. From my own experiences and advice from others unless the school is listed as one of the top 25 or so schools in the country or in what ever major they want to do then it just isn't worth it to go in debt when the cheaper state school degree will do just fine.
I went to a large state school and there you make of it what you want. If you want a tight community then join a Greek house, or get to know the people in your dorm, or simply just get involved. If you want to have a great relationship with your professors then go talk to them. Every time I actually went to a professor they were more than happy to talk to me about anything and I became good friends with a few of them. I think you end up having more choice at a state school and after its all done with and you look at how much less money it cost you’ll feel a lot better to.