<p>I applied to a whole bunch of colleges, many of which I think I am a fit for. Many of these, however, are very expensive. So I am looking for colleges that are a little easier to get into, thus increasing my financial aid chances.
I'm looking for a college with smaller classes, liberal, intellectual, and artsy feel, preferably in a city or near a city. School size doesn't matter.
My ACT is a 30, with a 35 in English, and I'm looking for schools that this would be above average while meeting the above criteria.
So basically like a less expensive NYU.
Thank you!!</p>
<p>I also forgot to mention that I would prefer little to no fraternity or sorority life</p>
<p>New College of Florida</p>
<p>Are you looking for merit or need based aid?</p>
<p>Bard College. Not cheaper than NYU but you might get merit aid. Rural, but an easy train ride to the city. Liberal. Intellectual. Artsy.</p>
<p>How about a GPA and some ECs so we can limit the search?</p>
<p>OP’s grades, class rank, colleges applied to, and other info are necessary. “My ACT is a 30” is insufficient information!!!</p>
<p>Goucher College near Baltimore</p>
<p>If you’d be willing to look to the Pacific Northwest, many of the stronger schools meet most of your criteria although none, besides Reed, meet all demonstrated financial need. For the school most like NYU, even though it’s really not, look to Seattle University. Very urban campus in an exciting city. I suspect it will award you good merit. Lewis & Clark is another school which tries to market itself on its urban, hipster vibe. Strong arts scene and because it’s so small, students get the opportunity to participate in a variety of artistic endeavors that they otherwise might not get the opportunity to do (the one guy I know who goes there has acted in a variety of plays, song in one of the acapella groups and frequently goes out to Portland area concerts despite being in a decidedly non artistic major). </p>
<p>Some other possibilities:
-University of Puget Sound (high greek participation, but the greek scene bears little resemblance to what one might find at nearby University of Washington)
-Reed College (extremely academically intense, awards the best need based aid, no merit aid)</p>
<p>Outside of the Pacific NW:
-University of Denver
-Brandeis (need based aid only)
-Occidental (LA is not like NY at all, but when it’s 80 degrees in December, you might not mind. Functionally awards only need based aid)
-Macalaster (functionally awards only need based aid)
-Skidmore College (not urban in the least)
-Eckerd College (will admit you with merit. Need based aid poor)</p>
<p>Try the NPC for Fordham U. Lincoln Center campus would be mini NYU. Hofstra also has good merit packages. Temple has potential for good merit.</p>
<p>Midwest has some pretty good ones just off the top of my head:
- Lake Forest College (upscale suburb of chicago)
- Columbia College (Chicago)
- Grinnell College (somewhere in iowa)
- College of Wooster (ohio)</p>
<p>look into Sarah Lawrence and perhaps the Lincoln Center campus of Fordham.</p>
<p>Ursinus College. It’s a filled with many intellectuals and the school is great for giving money. Based on your scores you’d be a solid fit</p>
<p>Although this school is rather unknown, The College of Wooster in Ohio, ranked 65th for liberal arts colleges, has a rather impressive intellectual community. It currently has a 58% acceptance rate, approximately 2,000 students and is highly regarded for its undergraduate research; I was just accepted and was somewhat weary of its academic standing, but upon further research was able to find many strengths; it may not be a big name, but it seems to be a school that truly fosters learning and independent thought.</p>
<p>Additionally, Wooster does provide pretty nice scholarship packages for stronger students, each applicant is eligible for a dean’s scholarship of up to $20,000 annually upon submission of the common app and can apply for other scholarships in addition to this.</p>
<p>Emerson College in Boston. Tuition about 10K less than NYU, 50% acceptance rate, good programs in writing & communications.</p>
<p>[Emerson</a> College](<a href=“http://www.emerson.edu/]Emerson”>http://www.emerson.edu/)</p>
<p>“Grinnell College (somewhere in iowa)”</p>
<p>About an hour from Des Moines and from Iowa City - definitely very small college town. It does offer generous merit aid (Trustee Scholarships) But 30 on the ACT isn’t going to be good enough.</p>
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<p>I don’t know why you would say that. One of my kids was awarded $15K in merit last year. Although I don’t know if the OP has the test scores to be awarded merit at Mac.</p>
<p>Beloit College, Kalamazoo, Earlham.</p>
<p>Intparent, I think Whenhen mixed Mac up with Carleton which awards a max of $2K in merit aid. </p>
<p>Wooster is a good recommendation, but like others I’d like to see grades and class rank.</p>