<p>I'm a junior in serious need of some direction. Any help is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>My current stats:
- 3.8 unweighted GPA
- 2210 SAT and 2200 PSAT
- Low EFC
I'm a white girl from NC. My school does not rank and I will graduate with two years of college under my belt. My ECs are decent, but definitely no winning multiple national championships or curing AIDS going on here.</p>
<p>So, here are some requirements:
- Not on the West Coast. Midwest and East Coast only, please.
- <15,000 undergrads.
- Undergrad focus.
- Small to nonexistent Greek life.
- Strong programs in anthropology/archeology/history.
- A campus. Nothing resembling NYU.
- Four seasons.
- Not centered around partying.
- Rural vs. urban doesn't matter; both are fine.</p>
<p>Slightly vague, but at this point, I don't really have a defined idea of what I want. Even if the school you might have in mind doesn't meet some of the criteria I listed, feel free to throw it out there so I can get a taste of everything. I'm pretty open to any suggestions whatsoever, as long as they're affordable, which is my main concern.</p>
<p>Look at the LACs that meet 100% of demonstrated need without loans. Williams is a perfect fit for your interests though will have small loans starting with the 2011 class. But, they are in close proximity to several museums despite a rural location and a short bus ride to Boston and Manhattan. They eliminated Greek life. Look also at Swarthmore and Haverford. They also meet your criteria and meet 100% of demonstrated need without loans. </p>
<p>BTW, white girls need to have unreal stats. You’ll do better with early admission at any of these three very selective schools.</p>
<p>well, your list of requirements describes U of Chicago to a T, except possibly the undergraduate focus and affordability. Chicago has some of the best programs in the areas you are interested in, but it does have the reputation of being intense and unforgiving of those who are not focused on academics ABOVE ALL ELSE. In many ways it is like grad school for undergrads, but that may be just what you are looking for, having taken 2 years of college classes already. It may be worth throwing an EA app there to see what happens and what kind of FA you get. They have expanded their UG FA program in recent years so you should visit the U of C forum and see what newly accepted students are saying this year.
2nd point- did you take the PSAT and was your score at or above the cutoff for your state? If the answer to both questions is yes, then start doing research into colleges who offer NMF scholarships on this list- and if the answer is no, this this could still be very helpful.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html</a>
go to the LAST pages for the most updated info.</p>
<p>Since undergrad focus and finances are of primary concern, I agree that you might want to focus your search on LACs in midwest and East Coast that offer good merit aid. Grinnell and Beloit in midwest come to mind. (Beloit has a highly regarded anthro program.) If you are interested in women’s colleges, Smith would be an excellent choice that awards attractive merit-based scholarships.</p>
<ul>
<li>Not on the West Coast. Midwest and East Coast only, please. –> it’s not on the West Coast… instead near the Gulf Coast</li>
<li><15,000 undergrads. - 3300 undergrads</li>
<li>Undergrad focus. – For sure… we’re one of the top undergrad-focused schools in the nation. Tons of research opportunities for undergrads.</li>
<li>Small to nonexistent Greek life. –> no Greek life; we have the more inclusive residential college system instead (think Harry Potter houses)</li>
<li>Strong programs in anthropology/archeology/history –> decent programs in these areas. Rice has an archaeological site somewhere in Africa I think that students visit. History department has Douglas Brinkley (Google him), one of the world’s best presidential historians, as a faculty member. He teaches classes to undergrads every fall semester.</li>
<li>A campus. Nothing resembling NYU. –> We have a 300 acre campus with about 4000-5000 trees and a lot of green space… you would never know you are in the middle of Houston.</li>
<li>Four seasons. –> kind of; we have a distinct summer, fall, and spring –> unfortunately leaves don’t change color –> winters are mild</li>
<li>Not centered around partying. –> first priority here is studies; sometimes people study on Friday and Saturday nights; partying is definitely prevalent (as at any other top university), but we are not a party school and you can avoid the partying scene if u want too</li>
<li>Rural vs. urban doesn’t matter; both are fine. – has both a rural and urban feel to it.</li>
<li>Financial Aid: Consistently ranked in the top 10 for “Best Value” universities. Gives merit based aid to 30% of incoming freshmen. Need-based aid is decent too. Full sticker price is $4000/year less than “peer schools” – Stanford, Duke, Ivies, Emory, WashU, Northwestern, etc.</li>
</ul>
<p>Good luck with your college search! Please don’t discount Rice just because it is in Texas… most of the stereotypes aren’t true. Take a serious look into it; it is one of the most “hidden gems” in my opinion.</p>
<p>With a 220 PSAT and a 2210 SAT you should make NMSF. Look at Keilexandra’s thread in the financial aid forum for some great schools with good merit aid for NMFs.</p>