Liberal arts colleges are institutions which place a particular emphasis upon undergraduate study in the liberal arts. Generally, a full-time, four-year course of study at a liberal arts college leads students to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Liberal arts colleges have traditionally emphasized interactive instruction (although research is still a component of these institutions) and are known for being residential. They typically have a smaller enrollment, class size, and lower teacher-student ratios than universities. These colleges also encourage a high level of teacher-student interaction at the center of which are classes taught by full-time faculty rather than graduate student TAs (who teach the classes at Research I and other universities). Although the genesis for what is known today as the liberal arts college began in Europe, [3] the term is commonly associated with liberal arts colleges in the United States. Liberal arts colleges are found in countries all over the world as well.

Following completion of their undergraduate studies at liberal arts colleges, students often continue to graduate study in other institutions, such as professional schools (for instance, in business, law, medicine, or theology) or graduate schools.

A liberal arts college is one that normally does not grant graduate degrees, or at least not many. Their majors usually fall into categories like sciences, humanities, languages, etc.

You don’t find a lot of “practical” majors such as Finance, Accounting, Marketing, etc at a liberal arts college. A large portion of the graduates of these schools will go on to graduate school

A University is one that puts more emphasis on graduate studies such as a Business, Law, or Medical school

For an example of each, check out Williams College (Liberal arts) and compare to Harvard University (major university)

A liberal arts college has a variety of kinds of classes. Usually the general education requirements cover all the different departments so that the graduates are very well educated in many areas. I think they are good for everyone, but you may want to look at schools that focus on the sciences.

A liberal arts college is one which focuses on teaching you to think and learn, to be an educated person, rather than just training you for a job. That is not to say that people who graduate from liberal arts colleges aren’t prepared for jobs, but they use coursework from across the curriculum to prepare you to handle life, rather than just a particular job. There is usually more focus on the “core”, which is similar to general education courses at other schools, but which may be more extensive, incorporating things as diverse as philosophy, science, and the arts.

Everyone else answered “what is a Liberal Arts school”, so I’ll move on to your Additional details.

You probably don’t want to go to a Liberal Arts school. In order to get a wide variety of science training to go into surgery, you’ll want a larger state school. I go to a Liberal Arts school, and it is not very inclusive for people wanting to go on to Medical school, while some grads do go into those fields, you just don’t have as much science related classes at these smaller Liberal Arts schools.