Argyle sweaters and Starbucks.

<p>Hey all,
I really need help with a few last-minute changes to my list. I am realizing more and more that the colleges I'm applying to, while realistic and even probable, are not much for aid, need or merit-based. So here I am once again, probably my final thread before application deadlines roll around. I need two or three schools that provide the following:</p>

<p>Excellent merit aid -- I don't mean full tuition necessarily, but if college costs could end up under $30000/yr or, ideally, less, my parents would gladly pay for it.</p>

<p>Good sense of community -- I say this because while I would like a metropolis close by, I can do without, provided there's plenty to do where I am. I would prefer a suburban environment in a larger city in the NE (similar to BC), but am open to all suggestions. Intellectual environment with motivated students is a plus.</p>

<p>A real campus -- I would really love to stay out of a BU/NYU style campus. Ideally, a real campus with plenty of room, removed from the rest of society is good. It sounds dumb, but taller buildings and gothic architecture are a plus in my book. Like said before, BC fits the description I'm thinking.</p>

<p>Size -- I don't think this matters as long as there are 4 or 5 digits in total student population.</p>

<p>UNIVERSITIES AND LACS WELCOME. A good division lacrosse team is also a plus :P</p>

<p>3.81 UW GPA, 33 ACT, AP/Honors schedule (test scores to go with it), committed to a few ECs, no outstanding awards, excellent creative writer (ie more essays shouldn't be a problem). I guess if anything beyond that brief resume is necessary, the college might not be what I'm looking for -- I have my reaches in place.</p>

<p>Johns Hopkins
Northwestern
Boston College
Santa Clara U
U of Oregon
U of Washington</p>

<p>What belongs here ^? Thanks for all your help!!</p>

<p>Not in the Northeast, but Occidental College could be a match. They offer a lot of merit aid simply for having high scores.</p>

<p>Also look into USC, it doesn't fit your requirements, but they do tend to give merit aid. Although I've met more Oxy students who got into both and got more money from Oxy so chose Oxy instead.</p>

<p>Tufts, Sarah Lawrence, Vassar, Wellesley.</p>

<p>Puget Sound gave my friend a hefty financial aid package.</p>