<p>I'm looking for a college with a strong academic environment.</p>
<p>Here's some other information:
1. I'm the stereotypical quiet girl who reads novels beneath her desk during class but still does well on the tests.
2. I'd prefer small classes.
3. I'd also like a small school, but I'm not going to rule-out larger universities.
4. Division 2 or 3 track and cross country would be nice.
5. I'm okay if a college is in the city, but only if it has a campus-bubble with trees and grass and such.
6. I'd like to feel safe if I ever ran alone in the early morning or evening.
7. Along with that, I would love a college that has miles of running/biking paths in its vicinity.
8. A strong, competitive undergrad Philosophy program would be fabulous.
9. I'd prefer a school from which I might recieve merit aid. (4.0 unweigted gpa, 2400 SAT, national merit semifinalist (that's for the psat in 11th grade), and I'm involved, just so you have an idea)
10. A school without a lot of partying would probably be a better fit for me.
11. Prestige is not important.
12. I want to feel challenged. <-- this is very important
13. I'm an academic at heart. I'd like a school where my peers are as focused on learning as I am.
14. I'd prefer quirky over preppy. Mountains over beach. North over South. East or Midwest over West. Hard and intriguing over boring and easy. </p>
<p>You sound like a perfect candidate for Grinnell, a rural LAC (about an hour from Des Moines and Iowa City both) of 1,600 students, with excellent merit and financial aid, fabulous new facilities, a quirky, intellectual, hard-working and unpretentious student body and so safe that my S has managed to leave his computer sitting around all over school for two years (dispite my earnest protestations), without it getting stolen.</p>
<p>Another good fit (but no merit aid) would be Carleton.</p>
<p>U of Rochester, nice campus, NEAR (but not directly in) a city. Nice running paths along the river which go for miles… use google satellite to see it.</p>
<p>Have you considered women’s colleges? Mount Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, and Smtih sound like good fits for you. They give out mostly need based aid, but they some merit scholarship for candidates like yourself. For example Smith has StRIDE, which allow you too do research with a professor, and gives you I think around $20, 000. And I’m sure Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke and maybe even Wellesley have something similar. I second Grinnell sounds like a great choice for you. I also heard Beloit is nice with merit money and it is kind of similar to Grinnell. And maybe Lindfield College in Oregon could be a super safety? Also Lewis & Clark, Lawrence, LaFayette and Earlham, might give you some merit money.</p>
<p>I’d highly recommend Macalester if you are considering Grinnell or Carleton. Mac is a very quirky place that really focuses on academics. It is in St. Paul, but it DEFINITELY has the bubble you are taking about. The part of St. Paul its in is relatively secluded, its in a residential area, and the campus is not an urban maze-it has trees and a quad, despite it being really small.</p>
<p>However, it also has the big city options. Public Transportation is available, and it’s in a very safe neighborhood that is in vicinity of 4 or 5 other colleges/universities.</p>
<p>Another vote for Carleton. In rankings that REALLY matter, its 15 miles of trails through the adjoining Cowling Arboretum were voted a top 10 nationally, best in Minnesota, place to run by Runner’s World Magazine! </p>
<p>WashU. Has merit aid, which is extremely competitive to get, but your stats are amazing.</p>
<p>Division 3. About 6000 undergrads, which is medium, not small. There will be some large freshmen classes, but also opportunities for small freshman seminar classes.</p>
<p>In a suburban area of the city, immediately next to the very large Forest park, which should have plenty of running/biking paths.</p>
Well, that’s the heart of it, isn’t it? LAC all the way. </p>
<p>You mentioned Merit Aid. I’m not sure if you are conversant in Aid in general, but Need Based Aid at 100% Need schools in the Northeast (seems to be your preference) like Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Wellesley, etc. is often more generous than Merit Aid. If your family earns less than, say $90,000 per year, this will especially be true.</p>
<p>Swarthmore.</p>
<p>Problem is I am clueless as to which of these schools has the most robust philosophy faculty/course selection. This is where large universities really come in handy, but you want small, so as regards philosophy, those are somewhat opposing forces.</p>
<p>Reed is an excellent choice if the OP has need. If not, there is no merit aid. Other possibilities which offer merit aid: Lewis and Clark, Kenyon, Denison.</p>
<p>I like the suggestions above. Among them, my favorites would be:</p>
<ol>
<li>Reed (for its philosophy department, its campus, its rigorous curriculum and intellectual atmosphere … but it does not offer merit aid) or Swarthmore.</li>
<li>Carleton (excellent academics, miles of walking/running trails in a beautiful arboretum, safe small town … but does not offer merit aid and the winters are brutally cold).</li>
<li>Grinnell (excellent academics, safe rural environment, great facilities, merit aid).</li>
<li>Colorado College (for the mountains, the climate, the athletic/outdoorsy but not-too- preppy students, and merit aid. Less selective than the others.)</li>
</ol>
<p>With your qualifications you’d have a good chance to attend Grinnell or CC at a significant discount. </p>
<p>Among smaller universities that offer merit aid, 2 stand-outs are Rice and Brandeis. Both grant merit scholarships to relatively large percentages of entering students and in relatively large average amounts.</p>