<p>D has similar interests and scores as yours. She is going to Williams. No merit aid but the need based aid is generous.</p>
<p>If you will rely on merit aid, Carleton and Pomona should not be on your list.</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your ideas!</p>
<p>Both of my parents work (one is a teacher and the other makes about the same salary), so I would get some financial aid but would still be expected to pay a lot per year. If my family was small that might be okay, but I have a lot of siblings and they’re all (most likely) going to college too in the next decade or so.
If I could only get a full merit scholarship! <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>kt1993 – Teacher’s salaries vary very much by region, so I could assume your parent makes $35,000/ yr or assume $90,000/yr. Sit down with your parents and run your EFC. </p>
<p>Searching for merit aid is great, but with your high stats and EFC <100,000, you may find schools who do not give merit, but instead offer grants and no loans to be affordable.</p>
<p>Also – off the beaten path, but appealing to some who like philosophy, is St. John’s College with a campus in MD and one in NM. The entire curriculum is The Great Books.</p>
<p>American (in DC) used to offer merit aid for NMF. Not sure about current policies. The downside would be the city proximity.</p>
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<p>Sounds like this will be a major factor in your choices. Here is a list (not comprehensive) of merit aid percentages (number of recipients, average awards):
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/696637-merit-aid-percentage-common-data-set-6.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/696637-merit-aid-percentage-common-data-set-6.html</a></p>
<p>So you can nix Reed, Swarthmore, and Carleton. Of all the small schools mentioned so far, one of your best choices for merit aid would be Davidson (merit aid to 21% of students; $19,079 average award).</p>
<p>The Ivies and the most selective LACs generally do not grant significant merit scholarships. Three very selective schools that do grant a few large merit scholarships are Duke, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins. The competition would be very strong; you might have a shot but be realistic. Chicago in particular might be a very good fit for you (and it offers some full tuition merit scholarships). Small classes; excellent, intense academics; urban but with a strong campus bubble; quirky students. Miles of bike paths along Lake Michigan (I think it’s about a 12mi ride from the South Side up to the downtown Loop area). It’s the antithesis of a jock school but has excellent athletic facilities ([University</a> of Chicago Athletics](<a href=“http://athletics.uchicago.edu/facilities/facilities-ratnercenter.htm]University”>http://athletics.uchicago.edu/facilities/facilities-ratnercenter.htm)). No mountains, and while the campus itself is safe, the surrounding environment is a big, tough city where a young woman especially has to be alert (no solo morning jogs off campus.)</p>
<p>^ It’s too bad that Merit Aid list is not more comprehensive. I think I’ll have to add some schools. :)</p>
<p>Don’t assume that you’ll get financial aid (free money). Many schools do not have free money to give except for small fed grants that are for those who don’t earn much.</p>
<p>Also, your parents may have an unaffordable EFC. That would be another problem.</p>
<p>If your parents have been teaching/working for awhile, they could have a high combined salary. You could have a highish EFC and might only get offered a small loan and work study. </p>
<p>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)</p>
<p>You need to apply to 2-3 schools that will give you huge merit for your stats as financial safety schools.</p>
<p>ASSURED SCHOLARSHIPS…$$$ CC Important links to Merit Scholarships given for stats… </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html</a> </p>
<p>Also…look at this for big scholarships for NMFs…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065295912-post317.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065295912-post317.html</a></p>
<p>Protect yourself…apply to a few schools that will give you big scholarships along with your other choices.</p>
<p>Also, ask your parents how much they will pay each year for your college costs. If you have a lot of siblings, they may not be able to pay out much each year. You need to know an approx amount.</p>
<p>You might consider Brown University. Strong Philosophy program, smallish, somewhat quirky. The Ivies generally have strong philosophy departments. Princeton, Cornell, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown are all among top 20 in philisophy.</p>
<p>thank you!
I looked up the suggested schools, and I really like what I read about the university of chicago.
A lot.
The only problem is the area.
Are there any schools that are similar to chicago, but in a more rural environment?</p>
<p>College of William and Mary and Wake Forest. They are medium size and have diversified programs like Chicago.</p>
<p>Cornell sounds like a good match for you. Also, don’t disregard UChicago because of the location. From what I heard it is pretty isolated from the city.</p>
<p>Everyone at both of these schools has the intellectual horsepower to do well in a competitive envir so I’m sure you would like the people.</p>
<p>Regarding Reed:</p>
<ol>
<li>You must participate in the conference-style classes (shyness no excuse).</li>
<li>Majority of classes 10 to 19 students.</li>
<li>Last year 1452 undergrads.</li>
<li>No traditional varsity sports.</li>
<li>On edge of Portland, OR, but with campus bubble, trees and grass and and lake and stream and salmon and nature preserve and such.</li>
<li>Safe campus. </li>
<li>Not so many miles of trails in vicinity, but a beautiful runny campus.</li>
<li>A strong, non-competitive undergrad Philosophy program.</li>
<li>No merit aid.</li>
<li>Less partying, more studying.</li>
<li>Prestigious among academics, less so among prestige-seekers.</li>
<li>You will feel challenged. Challenged.</li>
<li>Academics are the thing for everyone.</li>
<li>Quirky, never preppy. Mountains and beach each about one hour away. More north than south. Way west. Hard and intriguing, never boring and easy.</li>
</ol>
<p>Bard, Union, Skidmore, Juniata, Susquehanna, Goucher, Vassar, Haverford, Swarthmore</p>