<p>GTalum - alas, she is one of those strange ones that wants snow, lol. Personally, I prefer my snow in a cup or cone with flavored syrup all over it, but that’s just me.</p>
<p>Both DDs wanted snow at their schools. Kenyon would be a match, not a reach, and their FA is pretty good. It IS isolated. Try Denison. Also very good FA and merit aid, situated in a quaint town east of Columbus.</p>
<p>Yep, Kenyon’s isolated, but not as much as it used to be. Beautiful little village, and a regular shuttle that takes you into Mt. Vernon, which is MUCH better than it used to be (or so I hear). Very different academics (some say) between Kenyon and Denison–prof friends who have taught at both say Denison students much more party-focused and less actual college/studying/goal-focused.</p>
<p>I live somewhat close to Kenyon, so I don’t think it’s for me. The more I look into St. Lawrence, the more I like it as a safety. But I really appreciate OSU as a safety - I’d graduate in 3 years, would go into honors, and they have a very good med school undergrad program as well. So… if I don’t get into any of the ten or eleven others, I think I’d be satisfied with OSU. No, I won’t find the social life I want, but I will have a great education.</p>
<p>Absolutely. It is kind of funny though. You couldn’t have more opposite safeties than tOSU and St. Lawrence, LOL. I hope you get a chance to visit, it is pretty nice in many ways.</p>
<p>P.S. It is about a 3 hour drive from Middlebury to Canton, NY so if you go to visit Middlebury that would be the time to do it. Gorgeous drive, my D and did it in reverse after driving down to Canton from Montreal (McGill visit). If you could even manage to do it in October, very spectacular.</p>
<p>I think, unfortunately, I’m done with college visits. I know that the trip to see Bowdoin, Williams, Amherst, Dartmouth, and Conn. College was far too expensive for my parents and I feel bad. It was definitely helpful in figuring out where I want to go, but my parents said we need to wait until next spring to visit. After I get my acceptances (if I get any other than OSU…) we’ll visit to decide.</p>
<p>Thanks again for helping evaluate my applications. BTW - one quick question - how much does it help to be a legacy at Brown?</p>
<p>It helps a bit at any school, but unless the family is a mega-donor, it is a pretty small factor any more. Colleges know that the more family members within a generation or especially across generations attend, the more giving they are likely to do. But because admissions are so much more competitive than they used to be, and the Ivies are so much more committed to diversity including economic diversity, it just isn’t the factor it used to be.</p>
<p>Some of my daughter’s friends, with stats lower than yours, received nice merit aide from Dickinson, Muhlenberg, Hobart William Smith and Denison. Check them out and see if they appeal to you as potential safeties. If they do you should try to do alumni interviews to demonstrate interest. Also, email the regional rep and let them know that you are not visiting because of financial constraints.
Good Luck.
I agree that unless your family has donated lots of $$$ that being a legacy will only give you a little boost in the process at Brown.</p>
<p>Might look at Colgate or Holy Cross both solid LAC’s with great alumni networks. Holy Cross(don’t have to be religious) is 1 hour from Boston while Colgate is a little remote.</p>
<p>Nope, we haven’t donated much money. Infact, my relations who went to Brown were my grandparents and farther back than that generation. So, I guess it won’t make a significant difference.</p>
<p>I think my list is solidly set at this point… my parents and I had another talk and I’m applying to </p>
<p>Harvard
Yale
Brown
Williams
Amherst
Middlebury
Colby
Bowdoin
Conn. Coll.
Grinnell
Oberlin
Ohio State</p>
<p>and I’m probably going to apply to St. Lawrence or Kenyon. I’m going to visit Kenyon, and if I like it a lot, I’ll apply there. If not, St. Lawrence it is!</p>
<p>My prediction is you will get into all the safeties (which is the idea, after all) and 40% of the reaches. I would apply to both Kenyon and St. Lawrence if you can swing it. My reasoning is that it would be interesting to see if St. Lawrence awards you the $30K per year scholarship, and then if the others are not affordable (tOSU excepted) you have that. Remember, getting into a school is only the first hurdle. Getting the merit scholarship (if they have them, many of the ones are your list don’t) and FA package you need to come out with little or no debt is the second. Other than that, great list for what you say you want out of a college.</p>
<p>If you do apply to St. Lawrence, I would somehow communicate to them that you would have loved to visit, but that it was something you just couldn’t afford at this time. It will enhance their perception of your interest, and it has the added benefit of being true! But schools, especially those thinking of awarding limited scholarship $$, like to know the student has a genuine interest. It doesn’t have to be your first choice, and you can be honest about that too if they ask. Because they know that in the end, they may get you based on a combination of quality and $$ concerns.</p>
<p>Thanks, fallenchemist. Your advice has been very helpful. I’m both nervous and excited for this whole application process.</p>
<p>No problem, sara. Glad to help.</p>
<p>The process is designed to be slow torture, isn’t it. Natural to be nervous of course, but you will be fine. If you are as organized, thorough and thoughtful about everything as you have been about this, schools will pick up on that and can’t help but be impressed.</p>
<p>sara12:</p>
<p>Even if you think you are dead set against it, take a look at the women’s colleges, especially Wellesley, Bryn Mawr and Barnard. Although they aren’t right for everybody, I have seen a surprising number of women choose them over the schools on your list after understanding their unique value and superb education. I have seen several make complete 180 degree turns from “I would never go to an all-women’s college” to making one of them their first choice.</p>