At the top small liberal arts colleges in the country, an average of 10 students will attend class with you.

Many students limit their college search to schools with a low ratio of students to each professor. The hope is that small class size is a strong indicator of a good education. When professors are not stretched to their responsibility for hundreds of students, they are better able to dedicate their time to individuals both inside and outside of the classroom. Not surprisingly, the top small liberal arts colleges in the country maintain the lowest ratios of students to each professor. According to a list provided earlier this year in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Vassar, Reed, Whitman, Carleton, Grinnell, Lawrence and Bowdoin, to name a few, all boast a ratio of between 9 and 11 students per professor. The Chronicle’s list includes 1,200 institutions and is based on an analysis of estimated figures provided by the U.S. Department of Education.