Best LAC match for her?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I’m looking for some recommendations for a good LAC that would be a good match for my D. </p>

<p>She’s a junior at a good public HS. It’s not a powerhouse suburban school. It’s fairly diverse, mixed social strata. A good handful of kids get scholarships to the Ivies, MIT, Stanford and some of the nationally ranked LACs each year, but many go to the flagship state university. Her current class rank is 100. Her uw GPA = 3.7. ACT=30. She may be 1-2 points above the NM cutoff for our state, but we won’t know until September. She had a scholarship for summer study at a well-known prep school and has a scholarship for study in China this summer.</p>

<p>Completed or current courses include Honors Algebra 1 & 2, Honors Geometry, Honors Pre-Calc, Honors English 1& 2, AP Euro History, AP American History, AP Government, Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry, Physics, Latin 1-3, Chinese 1, Music Appreciation, and Art 1. She participates in a special 2-year English program focused on critical and creative writing; it’s at a higher level than AP English. Next year, she’s planning to study AP Physics, Calculus, AP Latin, Chinese 2, and AP Psychology. She’s received “A”s in all her courses, except for “B”s in Honors Algebra 1 & 2 (which were taken in middle school), AP Euro, and Chemistry. She also received a “C” in Pre-Calc, but is retaking it and received an “A” last semester. She’s not what I would described as a “math/science head”, but she’s competent. She’s an excellent writer. She’s not afraid to take on a challenge as she took 7 solid courses this year.</p>

<p>She’s focused on a select few ECs (an academic club, service clubs). Outside school, she did dance and flute for a number of years. Karate is on again/off again. She’s also been involved in community service with her church youth group (hurricane relief, food pantry) and on her own (volunteer at a hospice, animal shelter).</p>

<p>Possible college majors include Classics, East Asian Studies (interdisciplinary or possible a Chinese language major), or Biology (Genetics). Though she has an interest in biology, she’s decided she doesn’t want to spend all her time in a lab, so she’s learning toward fulfilling the pre-med requirements to keep medical school as an option. She has a slight practical bent and doesn’t take much interest in merely theoretical or speculative studies. She also wants to study abroad for a term. </p>

<p>She’s not uber-sophisticated---just a happy, optimistic and normal kid. We relocated to different states over the past few years so she’s attended 3 different HSs. She’s adjusted to the changes fairly well. She’s a self-described “nerd”. Though not a big partier, her friends are very important to her, and she maintains contact with all her friends in the various places she’s lived or gone to school. She’s somewhat reserved, but yet can perform a dance number in front of an audience. She’s politically liberal, but not an activist. She’s moderately religious in practice (RC) and would probably want to continue her involvement in college via a Newman club, or similar group.</p>

<p>We’re looking for an academically challenging, but not overwhelming, LAC. While she may qualify for FA at our state university, she probably would not do well in a large environment. She would do best in a more nurturing environment, but not necessarily a “bubble”. She will require significant FA to attend a good LAC (we’re definitely middle class in about the $60K income range) and we don’t want her to take on a huge load of debt. (So we’re probably not wanting a school with a massive percentage of rich “preps”, where she may feel out of place. Though she spent a summer at a well-known prep school and fit in OK, she gravitated to the international students for friends.) She seems to fall between the cracks---schools like Carleton, Bowdoin, and Middlebury interest her, but she’s probably short of their requirements. She’s a late-birthday kid so she’s always seemed to lag just behind her top academic peers and is not an academic superkid who readily absorb the material and still find time for a zillion ECs; she has to work hard for the grades she gets. (One of my fears is that she picks the wrong school (not intellectually stimulating environment) as I did some 30 years ago and then I did poorly until I transferred.) </p>

<p>Any suggestions would be most appreciated.</p>

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<p>melior, she sounds like a great kid who would be of interest to many LACs. I’d just like to clarify a few points:
Her rank is 100? Out of what?
Have you run through an on-line calculator to get an idea of how much need based aid you might qualify for? Although each school calculates differently, this would give you an idea whether need-based aid would work for your family.
How serious is she about dance and flute? These are valuable ECs as LACs like kids who can contribute to the campus community in more than one way. She should consider submitting performance tapes for one or both even though she will not major in dance or music.</p>

<p>Carleton, Middlebury and Bowdoin are not out of the question for her. Neither are Williams and Amherst, though they are reaches.
Slightly less selective but with similar character are Hamilton, Skidmore, Kenyon, Colby, Bates, Conn College.
Macalester is especially interested in kids with international experience.</p>

<p>I’d also strongly suggest that she consider women’s colleges. They offer good value: excellent academics but less selectivity. Barnard, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Bryn Mawr.</p>

<p>She’ll also need at least one acceptable safety. Since she seems to favor LACs it’s best that her safety falls into that category as well. I’m not up to date on safeties as admissions has changed a lot since my son applied, but you will be able to get suggestions from others on this board. The key is to find some reaches and matches that appeal then grade down, staying in the same general personality.</p>

<p>Good luck and let us know how she does</p>

3

<p>Some others to possibly consider are Lawrence (WI), Drew (NJ), Skidmore (NY), Trinity (CT) and Knox (IL). Drew is good with merit money.</p>

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<p>Hi melior, I am interested in the responses you’re receiving as I see similiarities here with my daughter, also a HS junior. She’s an easy-going, happy kid who really is just beginning to wake up to the whole college process ( she’s a late birthday kid, too)! She loves studying Asian language and would like to combine it with something, but has no idea was that something is, and would love to have the chance to study abroad. She has an intimate group of friends and is not a partier. I am thinking she would do best in a good, but not too competitive, LAC, which will most likely end up being smaller than our HS! I am trying here to get it right ( I had the opposite experience of you…my college years were wonderful and really a great fit, and I want the same for her). She seems to be looking to me to lead the way, as is my husband, and I feel pretty lost!</p>

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<p>Thank you for your replies.
Momrath, her class rank is out of about 450 kids.
We’ll have to consider whether a dance or flute performance tape is something that would be helpful for her. She’s been away from those activities for at least a year now, and even when active, she’s wouldn’t be at the level of many applicants who might major/minor in those areas. She primly did those activities for fun, but I wouldn’t describe her as serious about them. At a smaller school, I could possibly see her participating in some music ensemble, though.
We haven’t worked through the FA calculators yet, but will certainly do so. It’s encouraging that you think Carlton, Bowdoin, etc. wouldn’t necessarily be out of reach. My impression was that those better LACs would have more FA to offer, but that she would be one of a zillion applicants with equal or more likely, better qualifications. One reads of some many kids who rack up tremendously impressive school and community activities along with stellar academics that she would be just one of many at some of those schools. My D focuses on a few select activities that are genuine interests and simply doesn’t have the energies to do more with her current course load. My impression was that some of the lower ranked LACs (just below the top ones, that is) would simply not have the FA. That’s one reason I viewed her as “falling between the cracks”. We couldn’t afford a shortfall of $10-12K and I know how hard it would be to be a young graduate with a lot of school loans to repay, especially if she wants to go to grad school.
poi, I’m aware of the schools you mentioned. I hadn’t looked at Drew, but we’ll check it out as a possibility.
Psychmom, your quite right about the similarities between our daughters. What you describe fits my daughter to a T. My D liked what she read about Carleton. After reading the many posts on these forums that describe the type of kids that go to Carleton, those are exactly the type of kids she gravitates to and may fits in with socially. On the other hand, posts I’ve read about St. Olaf describe more of the nurturing type of environment where she could do well, but it may not be diverse enough.</p>

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<p>St. Olaf would be an excellent school for your daughter, although it may be a slight reach. Knowing that her class rank is 100/450 helps, as it does mean that Bowdoin, Carleton, Middlebury, etc are probably out of reach. That said excellent nurturing LACs with good international programs and excellent academics that are not super selective are:
-Beloit College (my college for next year, gave me phenomenal merit aid and is extremely good academically. They just built a brand new state of the art science center, too, for the biology part)
-Knox College (similar to Beloit, great academically, not super selective, gave me good aid (though not as good as Beloit)
-Cornell College (has a system that is really cool of one class at a time, check out there website)
-St. Olaf (may be a bit of a reach, but an excellent choice for your daughter and has a good environment. Though it is a lutheran school, it is very liberal and very excepting of all faiths [on a visit there I met a few muslims, jewish people and many catholics]).
-Luther College (very similar to St. Olaf, has a stunningly beautiful campus, good academics, has world class arts programs)</p>

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<p>Since you are Catholic and you daughter would be interested in the Newman Club, why not check out Jesuit/Catholic colleges? It is hard to recommend specific ones because I don’t know where you live. There are dozens of amazing Catholic colleges to consider.</p>

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<p>I’d ditto the women’s colleges and the midwest ones listed just below. If she’s willing to come west, others to consider would be Whitman, University of Puget Sound, Lewis and Clark, Willamette, Oxy, University of Redlands, Linfield…she will have lots of options and some of the Catholic schools (University of Portland, St Mary’s, Dominican might have some merit money that could come her way?)</p>

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<p>I second St Olaf, Macalester and nominate Scripps. Take a look at Whitman, too. Earlham has a huge international emphasis and perhaps could be a safety. Throw in Pomona as a reach. The have a financial aid policy of no student loans, only grants. Has she looked at Kalamazoo?</p>

<p>If your income comes in at the $60,000 level, check out programs that help low income kids such as Questbridge.</p>

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<p>SmalCollegesFTW, does class rank count for more than the fact that she’s taking rigorous classes with good grades? Her HS doesn’t weight the GPAs, so she gets no particular advantage GPA-wise over kids who took less rigorous courses. Also, since her school does send some kids to some of the better universities/LACs I might expect that prospective might be familiar with her school and consider that there are possibly a number of pretty bright kids ahead of her in GPA. Her unweighted GPA of 3.7 isn’t too bad considering her courses. Or, am I mistaken about how colleges view class rank?</p>

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<p>I also give a vote for St. Olaf.</p>

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<p>Unfortunately college will not forgive it enough. I was in a similar position with most rigorous courseload but only top 20%, and I was rejected form macalester and waitlisted at grinnell.</p>

<p>Unless your daughter is a minority (hispanic or black) or a legacy, then I doubt she will gain admittance to Pomona, Carleton, Etc</p>

<p>However that doesn’t mean anything. There are tons of less selective colleges that will give you better education then the elites, the ones I listed are a few, but there are many more.</p>

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<p>We don’t know where she lives. Geographic diversity may help a bit. Reaches are always harder to get into.</p>

<p>Check whether or not on the high school profile it says that they do not weight. She has a really hard course load and the guidance counselor need to emphasis that. Find out how many other kids are taking her load.</p>

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<p>That certainly expands the range of schools to consider. So far we had only considered the eastern schools I mentioned in my first post and many of the midwest schools such as Beloit. We’ll have to consider some of the western LACs and women’s colleges, too?.
Hearart, I’ll take a second look at some of the Catholic colleges. As you know, there’s a range of “Catholic”. But overall, religious affiliation is not extremely important in the school she chooses, just as long as a person’s personal preferences are respected. We’re midwesterners but currently in the SW. As we’ve lived in several states, location isn’t a primary consideration.
twomules, I considered Earlham but they emphasize Japanese studies instead of her chosen language of Chinese.
Since several posters nominated St. Olaf, how much of a reach do you think it would be? How is the FA at St. Olaf?
Schools like Macalester with an international focus would be attractive. How much of a reach would Macalester be? Also, how is the FA there?</p>

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<p>Macalester I think would be doable. They accept (according to collegeboard . com) 41% and the ACT 30 is right at their 50%.</p>

<p>St Olaf is a school where going ED really helps.</p>

<p>I don’t know much about their financial aid except that St Olaf has merit awards and Mac only has a little in merit awards. Both include loans in their packages but I don’t know to what extent.</p>

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<p>We’re in the SW so that may count for some points if a school seeks out geographic diversity…</p>

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<p>Im in love with Pamona and Claremont Mckenna!!!</p>

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<p>melior, It is interesting how certain LACS seem to focus on Chinese and some on Japanese ( of course, some have both, while others have neither). Some schools only offer classes through the intermediate level, and expect the study abroad programs to advance the student. I think this factor alone will determine some of the choices out there, with my daughter being interested primarily in a strong Japanese program but one that has Chinese as well ( which she is learning on her own). I am trying to sort through all of this while retaining some semblance of sanity.</p>

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<p>Pomona and Claremont McKenna are great schools but may be too academically intense for the young woman described by the OP. Also a major stretch for someone who is ranked in the 78th percentile in her class. </p>

<p>Have you considered Holy Cross? They have a Chinese major and often students the opportunity to craft their own interdisciplinary major. Excellent financial aid (100% of need). Connections to the SW via Boston Logan or Southwest Airlines in Manchester, NH.</p>

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<p>That should be: “offer students the opportunity to craft their own interdisciplinary major.”</p>