Apply to only 5? Or add LAC's?

<p>I have 5 set schools that I know i want to apply to:</p>

<p>Pomona (ED likely) -low reach
Claremont Mckenna - Match
Duke - realistic reach
Whitman - match/safety
UO Honors - Safety</p>

<p>I am looking for a school with a good public policy, politics, or economics program that has very strong academics. I also want a school like Duke
or Claremont Mckenna that can make me a better leader. The college can
be on the east coast, but closer to Oregon is preferable, and i don't want
to be super frozen for all of college, but thats a preference. I would also like a school that stresses academics, but doesn't take over my life (unlike University of Chicago).</p>

<p>Carleton College - I might not be happy because of the cold weather, and I don't know if they have a very good Politics/Economics program? How is the social life?</p>

<p>Dartmouth College
Williams
Amherst
Bowdoin
Davidson
Rice - are public policy/politcs a strong suit?</p>

<p>I think Williams, Dartmouth, Amherst are all too cold, selective, and far away for me. If you want to see my stats reply and i can link them.</p>

<p>Bowdoin, Davidson, Rice seem realistic, but is it worth adding them if i love Claremont and Pomona so much? What about Carleton?</p>

<p>Carleton has excellent political science and economics departments - both are big majors there (along with the sciences) and have great study abroad programs for each major. My daughter definitely has no complaints about the social life - there is always something going on, either planned or impromptu. She hasn't experienced a winter term yet, but is looking forward to participating in winter sports/mayhem for the first time. </p>

<p>All of the colleges you mention are awesome - good luck!</p>

<p>Add Carleton to "too cold".</p>

<p>Add Davidson and Rice.</p>

<p>Denison has a Politics, Philosophy, and Economics major. Senator Richard Lugar, who has been chair of the senate foreign relations committee, is an alum.</p>

<p>What is denison's acceptance rate? is it more of a match/safety?</p>

<p>Denison:</p>

<p>Selectivity: More Selective
Average high school GPA: 3.6</p>

<p>Male applicants: 2,339
Male acceptances: 837
Male freshman enrollment: 285</p>

<p>SAT scores (25/75 percentile):
Verbal: 570 – 660
Math: 580 – 670
Combined: 1150 – 1330 </p>

<p>ACT scores (25/75 percentile):
English: N/A
Math: N/A
Composite: 25 – 29</p>

<p>Need-based aid (first number is freshmen, second is all undergrads)
Students who applied for financial aid 60% 54%
Those determined to have financial need 46% 44%
Students whose need was fully met (excluding PLUS or other private loans) 40% 46%
Avg. financial aid package (% awarded aid) $24,545 (46%) $25,367 (44%)
Avg. need-based scholarships or grants (% awarded aid) $19,107 (46%) $19,189 (44%)
Avg. self-help aid, such as work study or loans (% awarded aid) $5,142 (32%) $5,830 (33%)
Avg. need-based loan (excluding PLUS or other private loans) $4,182 $5,013
% need met (of those awarded need-based aid) 93% 93%</p>

<p>Non-need-based aid
Avg. merit award (% awarded aid) $12,213 (20%) $12,464 (9%)
Avg. athletic scholarship (% awarded aid) $0 (0%) $0 (0%)</p>

<p>JANUARY 1 APPLICATION DEADLINE</p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=159719%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=159719&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Thanks! Denison is in the Midwest? Ohio, Indiana, something like that?</p>

<p>Very cool school--Denison. Check out College of Wooster as well...</p>

<p>It's just outside Columbus Ohio.</p>

<p>They have a free shuttle that goes back and forth to the airport numerous times for breaks.</p>

<p>Also, Denison definitely had the friendliest students of any place I visited.</p>

<p>If like Duke, might look at Holy Cross and Colgate both LAC's with good academics and athletics. Holy Cross has nice location-1 hour from Boston.</p>

<p>Did you look at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio?</p>

<p>I have a friend who goes to Oberlin, but it just doesn't appeal to me. I don't know, the atmosphere just seems different then what I'm looking for. It's kind of hard to explain...</p>

<p>^ That's OK. Oberlin has a pretty distinct flavor. You either love it or hate it.</p>