<p>USC (yeah, a long way from midwest, but good programs), offers merit money to NMFs -- $15k discount per year.</p>
<p>I agree with the others above who recommended some of the nice LACs in Ohio. Of course I'm partial to Denison (son attends there and loves it), but Wooster, Case Western (OK, not an LAC) and Kenyon are possibilities too. He could very well qualify for full tuition at Denison and Wooster (not at Kenyon though). </p>
<p>But, it's getting late and you'd do well to shake a booty.</p>
<p>SBDad, Congratulations to your son for having UMich in the bag! Are you only looking for merit awards or would you qualify for need based aid?</p>
<p>Are Macalester and Oberlin strong in philosophy/pre-med/music?</p>
<p>All wonderful suggestions. He really prefers a smaller school, and by smaller I mean something short of the huge state U. That's the only down side to Michigan, but maybe that could be managed with the honors college. If Michigan comes through with some significant merit money then I'm sure he's off to Michigan. In terms of need, by my calculation we are at that point where our EFC is equal to the cost of Michigan. I think we'll get a little more serious about Northwestern, Grinnell, Denison and Oberlin. I'm very big on Kalamazoo, but son has visited and just is not interested.</p>
<p>I guess we'll need to figure out if any of these schools track demonstrated interest and determine wheter a trip is necessary before the app goes in. I think I have heard that Nortwestern tracks demonstrated interest. It's too bad, we've visited UChicago three times and never drove up to Evanston.</p>
<p>SBDad, actually I think what you want to look into at UM is the Residential College (RC) program for the small school experience. Being in LSA w/ an interest in music is a fit for RC.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rc.lsa.umich.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://www.rc.lsa.umich.edu/</a></p>
<p>^^Good suggestion, but the RC, and East Quad where it's based, have very distinct personalities. Kind of a culture/vibe all their own. I wasn't in the RC, but took several humanities courses there and loved them. However, I wouldn't have been a fit as a full-time RC'er. Have your S. visit or do an overnight with a host student. For the right kid, it's a great option.</p>
<p>My son's stats are a notch back of yours, sbdad (terrific qualifications!) and is applying to Knox, Kalamazoo and Lawrence. Hoping for some significant merit aid at all of them. We have visited them all and liked them very much. Too bad your son didn't care for K'zoo. My son visited but didn't want to aplly to Beloit, but let me suggest that's another terrific school (good in sciences, too) that will offer good merit aid that you may want to consider.</p>
<p>I believe Knox has a guaranteed med school admission program you may want to check into.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Knox does have Garanteed early indentification program with Rush and GW Univeristy. First year student who apply for program and accepted will have a garanteed spot as med school. The beauty of program is that you still can shop around and apply to other med schools while at same time keeping your spot.
Financial aid is also very generous at Knox. Knox has been hot college recently, having two largest classes in a row. Still it seems that college is thriving on it, dorms and classes are full but not overflowing.</p>
<p>your son will most likely find knox to be unchallenging.</p>
<p>With all due respect, that is an idiotic thing to say. Have you met with the faculty there? Explored the curriculum? Talked with the students? Is this blanket statement true across all disciplines? </p>
<p>Any one room schoolhouse with a library of 50 of the right books could be challenging enough for a student willing to think and learn. Institutions like the ones discussed here have rather considerably more resources to bring to bear to challenge willing students.</p>
<p>One of the pernicious things I have noticed about this site is that it abides moronic generalizations by people who are otherwise probably very intelligent. On the merest statistics and barest anecdotes sweeping statements are made about whole institutions, not to mention their faculty and students. It is irritating and distressing.</p>
<p>SBDad, I'm a UMich alum, but my son decided not to apply there as he favored the small LAC route. The reason I asked about need versus merit is that if you could live with need based aid, it would open up a lot more choices, especially if he would consider looking further east.</p>
<p>Maccalaster
Northwestern
U of Wisconsin</p>
<p>momrath, need based aid might be fine but, as I'm sure you know, that number can vary all over the board from school to schooll.</p>
<p>Collegeprep, I really can't understand on what are you basing such sweeping statements about Knox being not challenging enough for OP's son? Any personal knowledge?
Knox has no grade inflation so those A are have to be hard earned. There plenty of bright kids with SBDad's Son stats go there. Knox does not have competitive atmosphere as some other institutions do- competition that you have there is against yourself. Motto of the school is freedom to flourish and people follow it seriously. I am not exactly sure what it is so different about kids that go to Knox- maybe it is honor code where they are treated as resposible adults from the day one, maybe it is amount of say students have in management and strategies of college. Or maybe it is that homey atmosphere where people care about you, know you and happy to help and encourage...
SBDad, your S being male and having excellent stats might get some substantial merit aid at many midwestern LAC, incuding Knox. Whether it will be a fit for him only he can figure out. I strongly advice visiting schools that your S is interested.</p>
<p>SBDad, I see no down side to applying to one or two reaches on the East Coast that only offer need based aid. It sounds as if you could you can expect something in the way of need aid and if youre borderline then you could potentially negotiate based on the merit offers from other schools. If you go further East, there are many topflight LACs that would offer academic and intellectual challenge.</p>
<p>I dont mean to imply that AWS would be superior to Chicago or Carlton (or Michigan for that matter), but with his qualifications and since he seems to want to broaden his options among LACs, it seems logical to consider the Eastcoast trifecta. Williams especially fits the particularly strong in music profile.</p>
<p>I have two words to say: Back off. Let your son do his own research. Give him boundaries and leave him alone. I got my parents involved in my college list and that was the worst mistake of MY LIFE!!! I was barred from applying to LACs and other colleges that I felt I would fit in better.</p>
<p>I think Wesleyan would be a good match...it's in CT but oh well.</p>
<p>Oops that came out wrong. What I'm trying to say is help your son if and only if he asks for it. That's what's best for him and you.</p>