<p>Since you need financial aid, the key factor will be whether your family qualifies for NEED based aid. If you don’t know ask your parents to use an on-line financial aid calculator to get an idea of how much aid you might be eligible for. If that works then you can build a fairly wide list. If the estimated family contribution isn’t enough, then you’ll have to look at colleges that offer MERIT aid which is a different list.</p>
<p>For excellent music and sciences I would look at Williams, Wesleyan. Smith if you are female. Financial aid at Williams and Wesleyan is need only, but Smith also offers generous merit awards. </p>
<p>My EFC is around $25k-30k, so I would really like to get merit aid in addition to this. Ideally, I would want to apply to schools that offer merit aid.</p>
<p>Like and need are two different things. If you must have merit aid to attend, then you’ll have to limit your list to those schools that offer it. Many academically rigorous, selective schools do not offer merit aid, period. If you’d like merit, but can get by without it, then you can apply to a wider range and weigh your options when you have acceptances.</p>
<p>Look into Oberlin, St Olaf, and Lawrence (ranked by how competitive they are). I’m quite sure you’d qualify for merit (music AND stats) at St Olaf, certain for Lawrence. Oberlin has very few “merit” scholarships but you’d be competitive too.</p>
<p>I’m definitely considering Oberlin, but I’m not sure about St. Olaf and Lawrence because of how far away they are. I have family in Ohio, so Oberlin isn’t too bad, but St. Olaf and Lawrence are really far. Does anyone have any good ideas for colleges in the New England area?</p>