What Is a CTCL College?
Last Updated on October 24, 2022 by Jill Schwitzgebel
Those of you that know me, know that I’m a fan of CTCL colleges. But not everyone knows what that even means! “CTCL” stands for “Colleges That Change Lives.” The designation came from a book by that name, published by Loren Pope over twenty years ago. His goal in writing the book was to change the way that students and parents think about colleges and the college search.
Shortly after publication, the forty colleges in the book banded together to promote a student-centered college search experience. According to the CTCL website, “CTCL was founded on a philosophy of building the knowledge, character and values of young people by introducing them to a personalized and transformative collegiate experience. Although the member colleges approach this challenge with varying perspectives, institutional missions, and pedagogical strategies, a student-centered mission is common to all campuses.”
In other words, if you or your student are sold on a large university experience with minimal professor and student interaction, these colleges are probably not for you.
While elite liberal arts colleges get lots of attention, I am convinced that students attending CTCL schools get an equivalent education, because the professors at these schools are focused on undergraduates, not graduate students. Teaching is a focus, and the professors I have spoken with at these schools all reiterate that teaching and working with their students comes before research.
See Also: Should Your Student Consider a Liberal Arts College?
That is not to say that research is not happening at these colleges. It is, and with no graduate students to compete with, undergraduates have plenty of opportunities to participate and work with their professors. Beyond that, class sizes are small and in some cases, extremely personalized. When my daughter expressed interest in an area where a course was not offered, a professor offered to do a one-on-one tutorial, customized just for her. No, there was no extra charge, and yes, she did get credit just as she would have for any other class. And that tutorial paid off enormously when it was time to apply to graduate school.
The CTCL schools are often schools with lesser known names that high school students generally don’t know about, until someone brings them to their attention. They may be overlooked in the quest to attend Ivy league colleges or elite liberal arts colleges. But, you will find that they may provide a much better fit for some students. And beyond that, they have a loyal alumni network that can later provide terrific job and graduate school opportunities. Remember, these colleges are listed in the book partly because the students who attend have such successful outcomes.
While most of the CTCL schools come with a hefty sticker price, don’t let that scare you off. Between financial aid and merit awards thanks to endowments, these colleges can be affordable. Many of them will meet students’ full financial need, and add a scholarship for qualified students. In Ron Lieber’s book, The Price You’ll Pay for College, he cites a CTCL college, the College of Wooster, as an example of what best value in a college looks like.
I promise, I am not being paid to promote these colleges and have no formal affiliation in CTCL college counseling. I just happen to have visited many CTCL schools, and now have two child that attended them. I have been impressed with what they offer. I love the collaborative, rather than competitive, atmosphere described by CTCL students, graduates, and professors. And I just want families to be aware of the many lesser known, but quality, college options that are out there as they search for the right fit for their student.
See also: Your Guide to Types of Higher Education
