For as long as I can remember, I have associated my high school graduation as the turning point in my life, and I have always had great plans and expectations for the life that I would begin after I had earned my general education diploma. The most dramatic obstacle that I had dreamed of conquering at this time was to find my own independent place in the world, but I was surprised to discover that after I had successfully completed high school, I wasn’t nearly educated enough to acquire my desires. High school did not leave me in a position, mentally or financially, to move on in life. Because I felt completely unprepared for life, it became a necessity for me to pursue educational improvement elsewhere.

I began looking into various colleges, universities, and technical schools, and, because high school had not completed preparing me for the future, I was determined to make sure that my next school would not end with the same results. Due to the fact that they only offer study in one single field, I felt that a technical school would not help me to grow intellectually, and I immediately eliminated the possibility of practicing further education in this type of facility. I was left, still, with countless decisions concerning which route that I should follow to complete my education. After looking at a large number of the different educational paths that I could follow, I decided that I needed to attend a school that actively prepares its students for their future life by taking advantage of the crucial time period that most all of the undergraduates are experiencing.

Because colleges recognize their students as young adults, freshman students are not only entering into a university, but they are also moving into the early days of their independent existence, which makes this time period in their life extremely vulnerable and easily influenced. Because of this fact, liberal arts colleges can foster intellectual growth by offering the student a positive, influential environment, around people with similar goals and aspirations, and liberating the student’s mind, by demanding a large variety of classes; this will mold the student into a well rounded young adult.

Freshman students, after moving away from their previous home and into a dorm, are acquiring their first experiences as an independent individual. This is a dramatic time period in each of their lives because they are suddenly capable of defining their own identity without the restraints that their previous setting enforced. Colleges expect the students to take responsibility for their own actions, and they give students freedom to make their own mistakes without closely monitoring them. Suddenly, without being forced to do chores, to do their homework, or even to go to class, the students are able to decide what is important to them. At first, this freedom was an appealing aspect of college, but as I have observed several of my fellow peers, I have noticed that it should not be taken lightly. During one of my first days here, I began to associate with a certain individual who seemed to be extremely smart, well groomed, and attractive. Unfortunately, after about two months into the semester, she began to dress like a slob, her grades dropped significantly, and I no longer found her attractive at all. I asked this young lady what was the cause of her loosing her focus, and she told me that she had “gotten into some things that she’d never experienced before”.

The undergraduates, as they are growing familiar with their newfound privileges, are more acceptable of, and easily influenced by, other ideas and opinions. In an attempt to fit into a new crowd, saying no to drugs, or simply choosing to go to class becomes much more difficult, and, without the emotional security that their home life offers, students are less likely to make wise decisions. One of my first new friends here at invited me to go home with him to spend the weekend. I accepted his invitation and traveled to Atlanta to meet his parents. A few of his local friends came over, and, after only a casual introduction, I found myself in the most awkward position I had ever been in. This group of people was pressuring me into smoking marijuana, and, because I chose not to do so, I found my-self labeled as the social outcast. Though I am very proud of my decision, I have never been so tempted to act that way in my life, and I do not know what would happen if I ever find myself in that position again. Fortunately, liberal arts colleges make every effort to ensure that its students will not undergo too many of these experiences.

Because this time period is so crucial, liberal arts schools are able to create an environment that contains numerous opportunities to help insure that the student is being motivated by positive people and ideas. One approach College takes to ensure this environment is to monitor the type of person that is allowed to attend the facility. College is extremely selective of its students, and, because of this fact, the number of negative influences is significantly dropped. After talking with students from various public schools, I am thankful to realize that I have only been challenged negatively only once; they face this problem on a daily bases. Another approach College has taken to ensure that its students are being constructive in their activities is the Center Activities Board (*CAB). This organization’s job is to create fun, entertaining activities to occupy the students’ time. These programs that *CAB put together usually grasp several students’ interest, and offers them all something to do. With these activities leaving them with little spare time, bad choices are less likely to become a problem.

Equally important as the need to ensure a positive influence is the method a school uses to liberate the student’s mind. Liberal art schools force their students to undergo several general education courses, such as physics, chemistry, art, psychology, writing classes, and a number of others. The students are able to gain a knowledge based on a wide variety of studies because of this. This better enables a student for any kind of decision making they may endure. I am only approaching the end of my first semester, but I have already noticed the advantages this type of education can offer. Just a few days ago, I witnessed a mother scolding her child for misbehaving. Normally I would not have said anything, but, after understanding that a child isn’t psychologically capable of understanding like an adult, I didn’t feel that this mother’s approach was appropriate. After I explained to the woman the psychology of a child, she looked at me as if I was a moron. I asked if she minded me trying to assist her in disciplining the child, and of course, she said that she didn’t. I looked at the child and, since it’s the Christmas season, said, “If you don’t behave, Santa clause isn’t going to bring you any presents this Christmas.” The child immediately corrected his behavior, and his mother thanked me. It gave me a great feeling of superiority to understand why this approach works better, every time.

The benefits of a liberal arts education doesn’t end with good feelings. After a person graduates from a liberal arts college, he is able to enter into his adulthood as a well-rounded individual. Liberal arts schools are well represented by The Allegory of the Cave. In this story, Plato discusses prisoners who are allowed to see nothing but shadows. He then suggests that if one of the prisoners were set free, they would begin to be enlightened to how the world really works, and they would have a great advantage over the people who were still imprisoned (Plato 134). Much like the liberated prisoners, liberal arts graduates are set free from the binds that are placed on less educated people. Their everyday decisions will almost always be based on knowledgeable ideas, making failure seem like an impossibility. Because companies look for these better decision makers, liberal arts students tend to get the best jobs and career opportunities.

A liberal arts school is able to use the vulnerable time period, which most of its students are experiencing, in its favor to help foster intellectual growth. The school is able to place the student into an environment that contains people who will offer nothing, but positive perspectives. This, hopefully, will ensure that the student will not loose sight of their future goals. Then, the institution works to free the student’s mind by requiring the student to endure a wide variety of general education courses. Once this is done, the student is able to graduate and enter the world as a well prepared individual. A liberal arts education is, in my opinion, an extremely commendable form of education because of all of the efforts that it makes to help the student in life. With all of these aspects in favor of a liberal arts school, what other type of education can be acceptable?