<p>She would likely get the Buntrock Scholarship with her state which is 24k this year. They give an additional 7k for National Merit I think and there are also service, dance and music scholarships available.</p>
<p>Sr. Olaf has natural lands where kids actually do go to watch the meteor showers and is on top of a hill with 360 degree territorial views.</p>
<p>Northfield is a small but very cute rural town on a river but there is a bus that runs to the MSP airport from the campus center so it is really easy access.</p>
<p>They have an organic farm which provides food for the dining hall.</p>
<p>Great suggestions from other posters. Hanna, I love that you know about Northland College. I know a girl who goes there and loves it. Also know several kids at St. Olaf, including my son’s best friend. They are really happy there too.</p>
<p>Warren Wilson in Ashville, NC.</p>
<p>Take a look at St Lawrence University in very upstate NY. Not rated quite as highly as many of the schools mentioned but I think it suffers in the ratings because of the location. Incredible environmental program, small friendly campus, limited frat presence, there is definitely an aspect of social activism, but it is not overwhelming. Incredible outdoor opportunities, from canoeing and kayaking on campus to frequent weekend trips to climb the high peaks in the Adirondacks. With your daughters stats this would be a safety and she might get some extra support as well. </p>
<p>I don’t see St. Olaf as a great fit for the crunchy granola type kid (Carleton fits that mold more – no merit aid, but run the NPC to see how it looks).</p>
<p>intparent, this is what the OP says about her daughter:</p>
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<p>This fits EXACTLY the kids I know at St. Olaf now and those who have graduated. Being “crunchy granola” and wearing vegan Birkenstocks can be a fashion choice as much as anything, anyway.</p>
<p>Again, many thanks to all who have posted. Really appreciate the insight and great suggestions.</p>
<p>St Olaf is exactly the definition of liberal views but slightly more conservative or middle of the road lifestyle - social justice, organic, participatory, LGBT? friendly, etc. but not super “alternative” or “in your face” . . . maybe that’s why some people don’t realize what a liberal place it is.</p>
<p>saintfan, it is exactly that blend of progressive/liberal social views with middle of the road personal choices that is so appealing about places like St. Olaf for my D. Any suggestions of similar schools located in the northeast, PA, NY state or Ohio? That is still her strongly preferred geographic. </p>
<p>Maybe Muhlenberg?</p>
<p>This is a fun web site <a href=“http://chronicle.com/article/Where-Does-Your-Freshman-Class/129547/#id=153384”>http://chronicle.com/article/Where-Does-Your-Freshman-Class/129547/#id=153384</a></p>
<p>While schools like Oberlin and Grinnell do have a midwest vibe, the actual student body distribution is more similar to the eastern LACs–i.e., New York and CA being the largest. </p>
<p>Oberlin has some really exciting things going on with regards to environmental studies. I think David Orr has just retired from the college, but he’s staying in Oberlin and continuing to work on projects for both the school and the community.</p>
<p><a href=“How Green Is the College? Time the Showers - The New York Times”>How Green Is the College? Time the Showers - The New York Times;
<p><a href=“http://www.oberlinproject.org/”>http://www.oberlinproject.org/</a></p>
<p>D looked into St. Olaf’s and discarded it when she realized she had to take two Biblical and Theological Studies courses in the core curriculum. </p>
<p>I don’t know if I can help you academically speaking but it sounds like a girl id love to meet</p>
<p>One can find required religion courses that are not unpalatable for the “unchurched” or “churched” but no longer into it. The first one is a freshman thing with many choices and the 2nd has a really broad range of subjects in lots of majors. . . . but I get the geographic limits thing</p>
<p>You might want to look at Antioch College in Ohio.</p>
<p>+1 on Oberlin, +2 on St. Olaf. Agree on Carleton too.</p>
<p>Kenyon and Wooster should also be under consideration.</p>
<p>Sounds like a trip to Ohio and Minnesota! Go in the Fall, not the winter.</p>
<p>D graduated from Grinnell a few years ago and, of all the LACs she was accepted to (Oberlin (good monies), Vassar (not a good financial package), Reed (can’t remember)), they offered the most $$$. The EFC was tough the first two years. When our second child entered college, Grinnell included need aid in addition to the scholarship which made Grinnell more affordable. D got another smaller endowed scholarship added in her last two years. I don’t know how it is now but our quiet D really found her voice at Grinnell. She is applying to neuroscience PhD programs now (after doing a 2 year post-bac at NIH/NIDA). The PI’s in the lab have been very impressed with her work and gave her her own project. She credits Grinnell with the solid research/statistics preparation.</p>
<p>S was accepted to Earlham and Wooster (I noticed they had been mentioned in the thread). Earlham did not give him a lot of $$$. Wooster offered more. I liked both of these schools. You might also consider Hendrix. They offered S an excellent scholarship and aid package. For top students, there are some really good scholarships -your daughter may be eligible for these. Hendrix has a similar feel to Grinnell in terms of students.</p>