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Liberal arts and science education (!) with a core curriculum.
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<p>Does it have to be a core, or will distribution requirments do? Because very few LACs have a core...</p>
<p>Also, I agree that Oberlin sounds like it might work for you.</p>
<p>Beloit College is worth a look. It is not urban/suburban, but it is not far from Chicago. Small, close-knit, student body that stresses academics over sports. Beloit has merit scholarships to give, too. It will meet or exceed your cold weather expectations. Pretty liberal, which may or may not be an issue for you.</p>
<p>I was going to suggest Middlebury, but it's really in the middle of nowhere. Still, if you like snow a lot, you might want to check it out. Their curriculum isn't really a core curriculum, but you have to take one course in 7 of their 8 departments, so it's a bit more rigorous than the normal distribution requirements most LACs have.</p>
<p>I just don't like the rural aspect of schools like Beloit, Grinnell, Carleton, and Middlebury. There might be some on-campus activities, but I really think that I can get homesick easily (I've lived in Seattle all my life) and I'll miss city life really quickly, so I am confident that I don't want to go to a school in a rural environment. Oh, if only Grinnell and Carleton were in a more urban setting!</p>
<p>I would tend to agree with your initial impressions and with those of Weskid that your best fit may lie at Carleton. As he argues quite reasonably, the school is pretty much a Midwestern laid-back version of Swarthmore. Its truly a fun, quirky, warm, supportive and intellectually rigorous place. </p>
<p>Regarding your concern about location, Northfield may be a rural town of only about 20,000, but few people realize Minneapolis-St. Paul is only 35 miles/35 minutes away along a 65 MPH limit interstate - easily accessible (think same distance as Pomona to LA with absolutely no choking LA-like freeway traffic). Northfield increasingly supports a Twin Cities commuting population drawn to the perks offered by this incredibly friendly and historic town. </p>
<p>Its often said that future Carls walk on campus and just know this is the place for them. You must visit. Id consider the school a 50-75% match RD and closer to 75% ED with some modest diversity bonus. </p>
<p>The remainder of your list seems reasonably well thought out. I think you should certainly consider U Chicago and would rate your admissions odds very generally a match there as well. Haverford, Swarthmore, Oberlin, Macalester and U Rochester seem like reasonable, if slightly imperfect, fits for you as well. The first Id also consider a match, the second a reach, and the last three should be safe applications. All offer great academics despite varying admission competitiveness. Id agree Grinnell is probably too physically isolated given your requirements. Youre considering Reed. Any chance youd consider Rice? Not exactly a lot of snow in Houston, but otherwise would seem a very good fit.</p>
<p>I'd suggest you take another look at Grinnell as well (I'm an alum). It's precisely because it's in the middle of nowhere that it's so great. They bring in amazing guest speakers, music, movies, etc, etc right to the campus. Weekends are filled with too many choices of events - what a problem to have, right? Plus they have a brand new student center and an awesome athletic facility, all of this on top of an excellent faculty.</p>
<p>Okay, I've narrowed my list down to </p>
<p>University of Chicago
Swarthmore
Reed
Carleton, and
University of Washington-Honors. </p>
<p>There is a chance that I'll add Brandeis University. </p>
<p>vballmom: I've researched Grinnell and I'm sure I don't want to go, but I appreciate your comments. Thanks!</p>
<p>I think that Swarthmore and Carleton are the reaches, University of Chicago and Reed are good matches, and I'm confident I'll get into UW-Honors.</p>
<p>Might look at Holy Cross-great science/math programs-school is building new $60 science complex. HC has no greek scene and the campus is 1 hour from Boston.</p>
<p>You sound like an ideal U Chicago student, and as an alumna, I really hope that you get in. Two other schools that come to mind are Cornell and Dartmouth- but both are harder to get into. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Thanks OneMom--much appreciated. Well, I guess that now's the time to start applying!</p>
<p>W&M looks like a good match except for the snow. Better if you want to go to the beach or play golf in Jan.</p>
<p>Okay everyone, here's my final list:</p>
<p>UChicago, Swarthmore, Carleton, Macalester, Reed, Grinnell, WashU, UW-Honors. </p>
<p>I think I fit in more with UChicago, Swarthmore, and Reed, but I think I'd be happy at Macalester, Carelton, and WashU. Grinnell's kind of an iffy thing. I'm not sure if the small size and the fact that it's in rural Iowa will get to me after a few years, but I kind of want to get a broad range of schools and then after I get accepted to wherever, to narrow my list from there. Also, I've done a lot of research and searching and searching and searching, and I've decided that even if I had two more weeks to search, I probably wouldn't end up changing anything. There is no truly perfect college or university for me, I don't think, and these are the best ones I could find. I'm reasonably confident that I'll be happy at any one of these schools. And plus, it's late October and I just have to start applying. I think that I have a good range of dream schools (WashU, Swat, Carleton), (UChicago goes somewhere in between), just right schools (Mac, Reed), and backups (Grinnell and UW). Yes, I am quite sure that I'll get into Grinnell. So there. That's my final list. Any final, final, final comments from anyone?</p>
<p>I echo onemom's comment: Dartmouth and Cornell fit your criteria nicely as to location, size (Cornell a bit bigger but still mediium size) and you wished a broader range of schools. It would give you two more good reaches.</p>
<p>Sounds like a good list. You have really thought things through. You should be accepted to a number of these schools.</p>