<p>Occidental College might be a good fit. It’s one of the most diverse LACs in the nation, fairly intellectual, and located in a nice part of LA. </p>
<p>For a safety you could try University of Puget Sound or Lewis & Clark. Both are in suburbs of major cities in the Pacific Northwest. Neither are particularly racially diverse, but they can be intellectually stimulating. </p>
<p>Many of the UCs, although they’re not located in major cities, have a very high concentration of intellectual students. Berkeley is certainly not a safety, but UCSC and UC Davis might be matches. Then there’s UCSD, which is harder to get into than either Davis or Santa Cruz, but one of the most intellectual students in my high school went there and loves it. </p>
<p>On the East Coast, Brandeis gives fairly good financial aid and isn’t nearly as competitive as Tufts, a school frequently cited for its intellectual vitality.</p>
<p>Colorado College is very competitive for admissions but offers a block plan which encourages students to focus on one subject and one subject only for around three weeks. If you’re into learning as much as possible, it might be a possibility.</p>
<p>Davidson, a super reach in a small town, seems to fit most of your criteria. It’s across the country, but an outstanding school. </p>
<p>Other schools that might interest you:
-Loyola Marymount
-Mills College
-Agnes Scott
-Emory
-Beloit (small town)
-Reed
-Whitman (smallish town)
-Trinity University (Tx)
-St. Mary’s College of California (the Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action and Integral Program may be of interest)</p>