Small private college vs. large public college?

I agree completely with "shine"...you need to visit. The atmospheres at the schools you list are so different (and also on the extreme ends of the spectrum in terms of small/rural and large/public) that you need to experience it firsthand to make a knowledgeable decision.

There are obviously benefits to large public schools and small private ones. Once you have visited both I would recommend listing what you like about all of them and what you don't. You may be able to find a different school that "splits the difference" and has a small-school atmosphere but is located in a larger city, or some other combination.

Kenyon was the first college I visited as a high school sophomore. I learned pretty quickly that I loved the liberal arts feel & things like professors focused on teaching rather than research, being a student rather than a number, etc. However, I could absolutely not deal with Gambier. I found a small, private liberal arts college in a major city and loved it. Once you visit you will be able to see what you prefer in terms of atmosphere. I don't know much about Ohio Northern but between Kenyon and OSU you'll end up with a really good school - one just might be a better fit for you.

I go to a small liberal arts college (Stetson U in Deland, as it happens), though I toured a few large public colleges during my search. I dunno, I always felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the state schools. They were so big--tens of thousands of students--which meant all the buildings were huge, to accommodate them all, and I felt really small and insignificant while I was there as a guest. I can't imagine I would feel any less humbled if I had chosen to enroll there. I felt like a number even when I was part of a relatively small tour group. The atmosphere of the smaller colleges was always more inviting, somehow more comforting. I'd say there's not a whole lot of difference in the quality of the education you receive, if you're looking at schools that are academically both robust and comparable. I imagine the experience at Seattle Pacific would involve more religious education than the experience at UF, and I don't know you so I don't know how comfortable you would be with that. I assume you're OK with it if you're even considering that particular university at all. If you're looking at a pre-med track, I would say do your undergraduate work at UF. You're going to be in school for the next decade or so, and that sh*t gets expensive, so you might as well save money where you can if you have to rely on financial aid. As far as I'm aware, Governor Voldemort hasn't totally killed Bright Futures yet, so if you're a good student and manage to earn the Academic Scholars award you could get a free ride at UF. Or a deeply discounted one, anyway.

I go to ASU, basically the largest public university in the US, and my high school graduating class was 400 and my town has around 100,000 people in it. I love how big the school is. I felt very prepared coming into though. And I find the large lecture classes with 400 people are actually really easy. That being said, I know people who have come from smaller towns and schools and have felt very overwhelmed and confused as to why people are different from "back home". You should try visiting all the schools, if you haven't already, and see how you like the campus. Ohio State is a very, very good school.

I love my small, private liberal arts college. I can only use my experiences to go on, but I couldn't ask for a better education. I have good relationship with many of my professors. With a small school professors can know each student individually. I can go to any of my professor's offices at any time to ask them questions about anything. If you want a personalized education and to be taught by professors that will really invest in you then I would stick to a small school. A lot of my friends went to University of Pittsburgh or Penn State. They like it, but I don't know of any of them that have had the personal educational experience that I have had.

An embarrassment of riches !

Apply to all three and when you get your acceptances and financial aid packages, run the numbers.

Remember that loans must be repaid - so add the loan amount back in when you are doing your price comparisons.

Wow! Kenyon is a dream school - in my opinion one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the US.

What I'd do is to visit each of those colleges (if you can, during a day when they have class), but make sure it's scheduled through the admissions office.

Some colleges will let their prospective students sit in on classes. If these colleges offer this option, do it.

You will find at the end of the day that one will resonate best for you (the environment you feel most comfortable in). This college is the one you probably should attend.