I’m not too set on the size. More interested in hearing any suggestions and narrowing it down from there. Throw anything out there
Arizona State and University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Both offer good objective merit $ based on stats (i.e. with X GPA and Y test scores, you get $XX,XXX). I think both now also have TO versions, but your expected SAT score should put you in the $15k per year group, which would bring COA into $30-35k range. Both have decent rated econ programs.
Both you would likely get into honors.
ASU Barrett honors has its own complex so smaller community within really large university. Can get Econ major through either their T30 b-school or through arts and sciences, arts and science also has econ major with poli science focus option. Hot in summer (not sure where you would summer) but really nice in winter. Vibe felt west coast.
UTK near the mountains. To me vibe felt like mix of outdoorsy types and a little bit country. It’s on a river with kayaking and paddle boarding, plus all outdoor mountain activities close by.
You could also look into University of West Virginia. Don’t know much about it other than has same type of merit as UTK and ASU.
Also, University of Arizona gives out tons of merit. More than ASU, but I don’t know much about it.
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Take a look at University of Arizona and Miami University (OH). Both offer big merit without test scores. Both also have well ranked B-schools with good Econ majors. Miami would be closer to the size you want as well.
I think you should run the “net price calculator” for colleges such as Williams college (has a good economic program) that give good need based aid.
What’s your career goal? You definitely could get as much as a full tuition merit scholarship, depending upon how low down you are willing to go, in terms of schools.
University of Dayton is a private catholic school you might like that gives very good merit aid. Well defined campus and lots of on campus activities.
Ohio University is in Athens, OH
Nearly all the colleges in Ohio have well defined campuses. There are probably more that would meet your needs.
Denison University
College of Wooster
You might try running both high income year and low income year amounts through extremely generous school’s net price calculators that give significant need based aid (Notre Dame) to see if their range might fit your budget. The Harvard calculator regularly beats FASFA EFCs, so don’t cut a school until you’ve run your numbers through the specific school’s calculator.
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UMass Amherst class of 2020 and Econ major here :).
I liked UMass and I would recommend it.
You should know that the UMass Econ department is left wing, and it’s also intended as an ‘academic’ degree and not a ‘get an ibanking job immediately after college’ degree – not that there aren’t Economics majors who get those jobs, but because UMass has a business school, it’s assumed people who want to do Finance will go be a Finance major. Getting into the business school is quite competitive, but Economics majors are allowed to take certain business classes without going through the complex override process.
It’s not a competitive major to get into. I was initially waitlisted at UMass and then they let me in, and I was still given Econ as a major. I had a significantly worse GPA than you, and I got a D+ in math junior year. (I did re-take precalc at UMass). Econ is a popular major but I don’t think it’s a popular ‘first choice on college app major’ – there are a lot of people who are given it because they get rejected from the business school. Seriously, freshman orientation, going to sign up for classes with another econ major, and the advisor asked: ‘are either of you trying to transfer to the business school?’ and she was excited when we both said no.
You might also be interested in UMass’ Social Thought and Political Economy program. I don’t know a lot about it but I will link to their page for you. Social Thought and Political Economy | UMass Amherst
I’m not a super outdoorsy person but there are a lot of local hiking spots, and UMass has an Outing club which has a cabin in New Hampshire they take trips to.
Ask me any other questions you’d like.
(I can’t speak to anything about jobs, because I have realized I have no interest in being an economist, and I plan to start this fall at a master’s in theological studies program. But I’m grateful for the well-rounded liberal arts education I received that surely helped me get a full tuition scholarship to BU).
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If you’re open to the south, UVA is amazing for econ and anything related, otherwise UCs or schools in boston!
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I’m not dead set on being an investment banker or anything crazy; kind of just want to be normal and be able to move around/travel and work as I go.
What kind of schools would offer full rides?
Thanks for the reply. I’m excited to hear it’s more of an academic major. While I do a bit of investing, that whole FIN-ance vibe doesn’t really appeal to me. Political economy also seems cool!
“Want to be normal and be able to move around/travel and work as I go.” Can you be any more specific? Are you thinking digital nomad type of work?
To be completely honest, I don’t have any real career goals. I am young and clueless so I really don’t know yet. For a long time I thought I would just go to IU, get into banking or consulting and ride that out into an early retirement or some sick sabbaticals. I’m still open to that and definitely looking at Kelley but I’m not a huge fan of the flatlands. At this point I’d rather get a little scholarship to UVM, enjoy my four years there and work some average paying Econ job for a while.
But to answer your question more directly, being a digital nomad seems pretty cool. I would love to find remote work and live in some little mountain town or out of a van or something like that. Similarly, sites like workaway.info and coolworks.com offer work in interesting locations with room and board which allows for long term travel. Those sites don’t require degrees and are usually hard work for low pay (which is one of many reasons why I want to go to college). I know these are all kind of crazy and part of it is just my youth dreaming, basking in it’s naivety. In reality I may just end up as a 9-5 sedentary stiff (one of my biggest fears). But once again I’m entirely clueless…goals are in the future and the future isn’t real.
I may also end up going to law or business school if in need of a better career at some point…who knows.
I think I’m stuck at a point where I have so many options that I don’t know what to do with them and I have zero clue as to what will make me happy in the long run.
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Be sure to look at Wheaton College in eastern Mass. Assuming you do test optional, your high GPA, class load, and activities would likely qualify you for good merit and make it affordable for a LAC. It’s a great small school with a strong economics department, and beautiful campus & environment.
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I’m confused what you’re getting at here. I am trying to get my cost as low below the nut as I can while also going to a decent school, which they would like me to do. I have no doubt about helping them out with tuition which is why I am seeking merit aid. My ROI wouldn’t affect my parents, it would only affect me. My total cost would affect my parents, however, which is why I’m trying to get merit aid. What are you saying exactly?
It’s all good - you are doing the right thing.