<p>I'm a junior just starting to research colleges. Here's a tentative list of priorites and preferences:</p>
<ul>
<li>I would like to graduate undergrad with no (or very little) debt. I'm definitely planning on grad school, so I would prefer to not have 100k+ already under my belt.</li>
<li>Prestige and religious affiliation are non-issues. I'm looking to go somewhere cheap or free with strong academics regardless of things like ranking and theology requirements.</li>
<li>I think I'd be most comfortable in an LAC or smaller university. Nothing >10k most likely.</li>
<li>Preferably no West Coast schools.</li>
<li>Regarding the student body, I would rather it not be extremely preppy. A social scene that doesn't revolve around partying would be nice, too. I'm honestly not too worried about reputation of the student body, as I'm sure I would be able to find my niche and be happy wherever. However, a present drug culture and a healthy population of 'nerdier' individuals wouldn't hurt.</li>
<li>Leaning toward a rural environment.</li>
<li>Must not lack a true campus (yes, I'm looking at you, NYU).</li>
</ul>
<p>Well, I hope that's specific/vague enough for a few suggestions.</p>
<p>Oh, and stats:
White chick from NC; <$60k income, low EFC
4.7 weighted GPA (heavy inflation), 222 PSAT
Unsure of ranking; at least top 10%
Part-time job, research with prof (will be co-writing a paper for publication this summer), EIC of newspaper, internship with newspaper, writing awards, 500+ hours of volunteer work mainly at the library.</p>
<p>Grinnell College would be a good fit for you. Rural, excellent academics, nice campus, down to earth kids, and good merit money, too! I’m biased, though, as I will be going to school there next year.</p>
<p>You should try for the second-tier full-need LACs like Macalester, Carleton, Oberlin, Grinnell, Reed; and reach for the top-tiers. Investigate this list: [Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Need-blind admission - Wikipedia”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Not all full-need LACs are need-blind but they strive to be, and many will have special no-loans initiatives for <60k income. (Major caveat here is that if your parents are divorced or separated, these colleges will count BOTH parents’ resources regardless of willingness to pay.) You really should be looking at need-based rather than merit-based aid; remember that a small merit scholarship will usually replace GRANT, not EFC.</p>
<p>Also consider a school like Earlham, which prides itself on equitable FA policies (not need-blind, but it should be a low match/high safety for you) and has 25% of students on Pell grants, an astonishing number for a “regional,” yet rigorous small LAC that meets 90%+ of need on average.</p>
<p>My recommendation is that you pick 5 reach schools and 5 match schools that you like based on fit, since you will qualify for near-full FA at those colleges with the best need-based FA. And then pick one or two NMF full tuition/rides as for financial safeties.</p>
<p>Second Oberlin and Grinnell–Grinnell in particular is known for being very generous with aid. (My first thought was actually Reed but you say you don’t want a West Coast school.)</p>
<p>Another vote for Grinnell. Thank you Warren Buffet for that huge endowment-it means great merit aid, wonderful facilities, and loads of free events/activities on campus that are open to the entire town. The town is adjacent to the campus so you don’t need a car to get to the small downtown area. The students aren’t preppy-more quirky and nerdy. And yes, it’s rural-they have their own observatory because there’s so little light pollution.</p>
<p>With an income of under $60K and your stats, you’d do better to focus on schools offering need based aid with no loans. This is given that your parents don’t have any significant assets. There are lists of said schools floating around this site or Google one.</p>
<p>I think my unweighted GPA is a 3.94. My parents are divorced; my mother, my siblings, and I are living in my grandmother’s house and my father lives with his girlfriend, currently unemployed and not seeking a job. No significant assets that I know of.</p>
<p>Grinnell sounds like exactly what I’m looking for. Based upon what I’ve read, I think I’m in love. Earlham, Denison, Oberlin, and Carleton are all phenomenal as well. Lots of great suggestions and information here! The wealth of knowledge the CC population has is amazing.</p>
<p>Feel free to keep the suggestions coming, guys. This is all very helpful.</p>
<p>You might want to take a close look at the FA programs at a number of the top LACs. Most do not offer merit aid. However, since your household income is below 75K many of the top LACs will offer you a FA package better than most of the colleges that offer merit scholarships.</p>