<p>Rising Junior DD has a 2240 on SAT (690 math, 750 reading, 800 writing), most likely a NMF and 4.0 GPA. She is homeschooled but attends a "tutelage" where other teachers are responsible for giving her grades and is working on some dual credit courses at a local college (thru the tutelage). She will take a couple AP tests and possible SAT subject tests--we're still undecided about which is best. She is looking a LAC's in the midwest and will need a substantial amount of aid. She would like to be a history or english major.</p>
<p>I would appreciate advice on two items 1) Suggestions for LAC's within 8 hours of Indianapolis (that would give her aid) 2) Rate her EC's please. She has a job that requires leadership. She is a president of a fellows program of a small internet company. Supervises 10+ employess (students that work as developers, code writers, marketing etc), meets with customors, works the finances, and is responsible for the bottom line. It's a unique experience that requires 10+ hours a week. She is editor of a politcal blog--edits, finds writers, and writes numerous articles--though this has died down a bit recently. She volunteers at church as a sunday school teacher each Sunday. She also writes and submits articles/essays to contests that takes up a lot of her time (has won a couple). She is (will be soon) in the Latin National Honor Society and Nat'l Society of HS Scholars. I am researching places for her to tutor a few hours a month for free as she is interested in doing that. Or she may help on a campaign for mid term elections. After reading other EC's I am concerned this isn't enough though honestly I'm not sure how much more time she has. (as I said, she needs merit aid). She is very personable and a great writer so I think her essays and interviews will be huge asset in the admission process.
Any advice/insight is appreciated.</p>
<p>-I think her extracurricular activities look just fine. If she adds tutoring it is only a plus. Schools want students that are interested and involved in things and she certainly is. All the admissions officers I heard make it clear that depth of involvement in activities is what is important and they are not impressed by students who have a list of a million activities that they hardly participate in. </p>
<p>-I would suggest considering the SATII as well as AP exams if it makes sense. If I had to pick, I think doing well on the SATII may be more valuable for admissions but you could make an argument for either one I guess.</p>
<p>-If you need merit aid, it would be wise to include a number of schools where she will be in the top 10% or so (at least the top 25%) statistically (from GPA, SAT).</p>
<p>A few public LACs like Truman State and University of Minnesota - Morris start out with low list prices (even for out-of-state students). They may also have merit scholarships to further reduce the price (some of Truman State’s are guaranteed for stats and shown on its net price calculator).</p>
<p>Most LACs in the Midwest that will attract her type of student (top) are going to be fairly liberal, but even most liberal colleges have conservative students and conservative student groups.</p>
<p>There are lots of small colleges in that area: Carleton, Kenyon, Macalester, Oberlin, Denison, Grinnell, College of Wooster, DePauw, Knox, Kalamazoo, Lawrence, Marquette, St. Olaf, and Wheaton are suggestions. Wooster offers a lot of financial aid (I got offers and letters in college), and she may also be likely to get offers fron Knox, Kzoo, Lawrence, DePauw and Marquette. DePauw, Marquette, and Wheaton are likely to be the more conservative colleges on the list.</p>
<p>Wheaton College (in Wheaton, IL) is the highest-ranked (and probably most selective) Christian college among the US News national LACs. It does offer merit aid. It should be a low match for the OP’s daughter. I don’t think any truly conservative or Christian colleges are so selective that those ECs would be inadequate.</p>
<p>Of course, “conservative” means a lot of different things. Some colleges may be religiously conservative, but others may be non-religious, but conservative in other aspects, for example. Among conservative religious schools, a student who would be inclined to attend one of his/her religion may not care for one of a different religion.</p>
<p>I assume the OP and her daughter are looking for a relatively selective or highly ranked college (given her high stats and concerns about ECs). Most selective midwestern LACs are not conservative in either a political or religious sense. Only 2 Christian colleges, Wheaton and Calvin, make it onto the US News list of top 100 national LACs. I don’t think there is anything like a Liberty University, Patrick Henry, or Bob Jones University among the top 100 LACs.</p>
<p>Hillsdale College, #82 on the USNWR national LACs list, is a culturally and politically conservative, nonsectarian college. It refuses to accept federal funding. Its costs are relatively low for a private LAC (< $35K) and it does offer merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Especially when describing educational institutions, it’s best to avoid terms like “conservative” and -even more confusing - “liberal,” because despite what some talking heads would have you think, education and scholarship isn’t US Politics. A “conservative” school could be:</p>
<p>1) Hard Core US Right Wing activist – Think Patrick Henry College, which was founded with the explicitly stated goal of “helping homeschooled Christian Evangelical students become political leaders.” </p>
<p>2) Traditional/Old School curriculum. St. John’s great books program, or just about any institution that has strong programs in Dead Languages or Classics. </p>
<p>3) “Old Fashioned” traditions and student life. Women’s colleges in particular have preserved many elements – flower chains and songs in Greek, dorm lounges with pianos and grandfather clocks…a far cry from keggers in football stadium parking lots. </p>
<p>Politically speaking, most colleges and universities probably average slightly left of center. There are always a few of what we called “nutty-woo” professors and students, and also a group of rather “look at me, I’m such a rebel, I say offensive things and say it’s because I’m not PC!” folks to mirror them back. With the exceptions of very ideological campuses like Reed or Liberty, most students at most schools are going to be pretty centrist when it comes down to it. I’d say that on my little list above, your daughter’s preferences on the second two items are more indicative of a “good fit” in a college.</p>
<p>I’d say her stats give her a wide range of options in midwestern LACs so maybe define “conservative”? Depauw has a conservative reputation in terms of the politics of its students, but is also seen as a party school, maybe because it’s like 85% Greek. Hope College in Michigan is a Christian LAC that probably has less of a party scene and it’s hard to beat the location (Holland, MI). </p>
<p>Thank you for all of the responses–yes, sorry, I realize conservative is vague when talking about college. I meant politically and culturally conservative. Hillsdale would be the perfect fit for her, or Wheaton. I was looking for others that may offer more in merit. Wheaton doesn’t seem to offer a lot, and Hillsdale does offer some, but it’s based more on per applicant (nothing on their websites with amounts). This is my concern over the EC’s–the more (or more in depth) she has it’s more likely Hillsdale would offer her more in merit aid. Any other’s that are equivalent or close? I like Hope in Michigan as well. Thoughts on Calvin? Thank you again!</p>
<p>If you are willing to leave the Midwest, take a look at Davidson (near Charlotte, NC). It is a college of about 2000 students that is considered very conservative. I know nothing about midwestern schools (I am only looking in the South and Mid-Atlantic), but good luck!</p>
<p>Your D’s stats would be well above average for Hillsdale or Wheaton. I wouldn’t assume that piling on more ECs would make a significant difference in the size of any merit award at either school. Although many colleges gather information about ECs, where they really come into play is at highly selective colleges where so many applicants have stats as high as your daughter’s. </p>
<p>When I toured, I got the impression that it was Conservative relative to other colleges and universities of its caliber. I am of the FAAAAAAAAAAAAR right, so I try to make sure that a college is not overly liberal, though I do not need it to be quite as Conservative as I am.</p>
<p>“conservative LAC” and “within 8 hours of Indianapolis” = Hillsdale College in Michigan (can’t get any more conservative than Hillsdale). It’s highly underrated but has a decent endowment.</p>
<p>Washington & Lee? For big merit aid, Washington & Lee and URichmond are well known for their full ride scholarships for which you must apply early, submit an extra essay and interview on campus.</p>
<p>Grove City in Grove City, PA is another good conservative small college. I don’t know much about merit aid possibilities, but the “sticker price” is low for a private school. Like Hillsdale, it doesn’t participate in federal financial aid.</p>
<p>A conservative curriculum college would be St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD (9 hours). It is a great books college. I’m not certain where it stands politically.</p>