We sorted things out and made return visits to top 3 after all the offers (and denials) came in. Both kids had eclectic lists with a mix of schools both geographically and size wise. We were surprised (negatively AND positively) by merit / FA offers. In the end $$ played a big role. We were happy to have lots of options. If we were doing it all again (god forbid!) There are schools we would have dropped…and schools we would have added. But having options is key including a safety or two you’re happy with. Good luck!
I would show her both Muhlenberg and Ursinus before giving up on LAC’s. Both are very good schools. Many kinds of kids who all seem to get along just fine. Greek life exists but doesn’t dominate on either campus. Not crunchy or too preppy. Best of luck to you!
Middlebury is basically the benchmark for Environmental Studies programs - it was the first program of its kind in the nation - and I’ve seen it described as both crunchy AND preppy which suggests it’s a good mix of both. It is, unfortunately, a reach for your daughter (and nearly everyone).
Hamilton is a pretty balanced LAC.
I don’t know much about the culture at University of Vermont, but a very bright friend of my D is headed there this fall for Honors College and enviro science (or maybe it’s enviro studies?) major. Their OOS tuition is pretty high so even with merit the cost would be more than some other OOS public honors colleges, but it may be worth a look at their website.
I attend a top liberal arts school, and I can attest that there is a huge variation in the student population. Although the school may have a certain image, your daughter will definitely will find her niche. If she’s looking for a school that provides good financial aid/merit aid, all the top 20 liberals school provide excellent financial aid with almost 100% of needs met. I know that Smith College provides merit aid ($20K for Zollman and $10K for STRIDE). Good luck with everything and hope she finds the right fit.
My D has a very similar profile/interests and it sounds like she wanted the same sort of vibe- she is athletic and outdoorsy but also likes to hang with artsy kids. She wanted a school where kids were welcoming, and intellectual but chill and a good balance between challenging and nurturing. She is going to Mt. Holyoke after a gap year and thinks it will fit the bill. But the other LACs that she really liked a lot are:
Middlebury (Reach)
Bates
Kenyon
Smith
Bryn Mawr
Macalester
Colorado College
College of Wooster (safety)
Another idea is smaller universities like Brandeis or University of Rochester. At one point D thought maybe she might want something a bit bigger than an LAC. U of R dropped off her list late in the game but she was accepted to Brandeis with merit.
Also, based on our experience I think your D would be likely to get merit from at least Bryn Mawr, Macalester, Smith, Wooster and MHC.
I think you are wise to look away from the East coast and if your D will consider women’s colleges, they have a lot to offer. BM is in a consortium with Haverford and Swarthmore and she could also take classes at Penn (big college experience!). And MHC and Smith are in a consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and UMass Amherst (gigantic college experience!). My D thinks the consortium will offer the sort of variety and stimulation she will enjoy but she also has the bucolic MHC campus as her retreat.
Also, D had a couple schools on her list that we hadn’t been able to visit and figured we would visit if she was accepted and they were serious contenders. It is true that you don’t get the full sense of a school during the summer but we attended a couple special admissions events over the summer where at least there was a lot of hoopla so it didn’t feel like the campuses were empty. Also, at bigger schools there is likely to be more going on over the summer and we also noticed that schools with substantial international communities have kids on campus over the summer. That was true even at a small school like Wooster. We had one of our favorite admissions experiences when we stumbled onto campus the afternoon of the World Cup and discovered they had set up the student union for watching the game with a full buffet spread sponsored by the office for international students and were welcomed to join them for the afternoon. 
Good luck to your daughter!
I “paraded” my D around several LAC’s and like your D she changed her point of view. I was absolutely certain that Oberlin would be the school for her. They liked her but she didn’t like them (just couldn’t get over the isolation and small size.)She ultimately did her undergrad and grad at two of the biggest state U’s in the country. She just really loved being at a very large university. It’s not for everyone, but some students thrive in that sort of environment.
@Joblue: “foolish”, “superficial”, “ridiculous” and “bunk” all in one post! Thanks so much, that’s extremely helpful.
College of the Atlantic in Maine has one of the best environmental science programs in the country, may be worth investigating.
@rrobb
It was not my intent to insult you and if I hurt your feelings, I apologize.
I was including my own community and myself when describing some of the attitudes toward UMD, in the local county schools, and I very strongly feel they were…is “misguided” too strong? It certainly is considered desirable by students from out of state, particularly in the northeast. If you are adamant in your feelings against our state flagship for whatever reason, then so be it. I was trying to broaden your opinion but apparently failed.
With her stats, she may qualify for merit aid at Oxford College, Emory which has a school within a school feel. Emory is more nerdy than preppy, not terribly Greek dominated or sports obsessed since there’s no football and its Div. III. The campus has won awards for environmental sustainability. Academics are challenging but manageable and the students are not cut-throat.
I’ve really tried to get my daughter to consider LACs, but she doesn’t seem interested. We’ve visited a half dozen LACs, but small colleges do not interest her. She attended an engineering class at Swarthmore, which had about 6 students. The small size of the class really turned her off. Then again, her high school is nearly twice the size of Swarthmore.