Help expand LAC list for solid student, please.

College Search & Selection
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<p>My DS will be a senior in the fall and we're just having a little trouble expanding/narrowing down the list. Thought somebody might be able to mention some schools I'm overlooking (and comment on the schools we have so far.)</p>

<p>He's a solid student. 4.0 unweighted, 5.0 weighted, so far. Will have 8APs when he graduated. 32 ACT. And 4's and 5's on APs. Pretty average public high school (large), I would say, although quite good for our area (Kentucky.) Active for EC's (band, jazz band, cross-country and track, piano.) Some awards. </p>

<p>So, solid guy, I think. Good writer, so essays should be fine. </p>

<p>The things he's looking for are sort of hard to quantify (and hard to tell from websites!) so I was hoping you guys could help. He's looking for a school mostly that just has really interested and engaged students. I think his biggest nightmare would be sitting in a Freshman seminar class with people sleeping or goofing around with their phones instead of having firey and fun debates about things. And he likes schools where students are doing fun, nerdy interactive things on campus. For example, we toured Oberlin and they talked about the Classics Hall and Science Fiction Hall dressing up and having wars with each other and he just thought that was the most fantastic thing he'd ever heard in his life. He also loved the concerts there, the art available there, the environmental awareness, and mostly that everyone just seemed to be so passionately doing SOMEthing, even in their free time. That's how he is. He loves the no Greeks, too.</p>

<p>We are in an odd financial situation that makes us have about three times as much money on paper than we actually have access to (giant business loan), making us probably not have any need-based aid. Even if he could get IN to Oberlin, not sure we could afford it since I don't know if he'd get any aid. Not to say that's the only school he liked, but it's a good example of what he likes in a college. (Also, no overly conservative or religious places.)</p>

<p>He's not really looking for a school that's just super-competitive (that people would describe as cut-throat), so much as just a school where people are just excited about learning and being engaged and involved, if that makes any sense.</p>

<p>He also likes Wooster, but not sure about aid there either. </p>

<p>We've visited:
Kenyon
OWU
Earlham
Centre
Dennison</p>

<p>Trying to get to
Grinnell (I know probably same merit aid problem there)
Eckerd
Kalamazoo
Hendrix
Juniata
Beloit (little worried about Greek there)</p>

<p>He's rejected some of the schools we've visited for various reasons. (Usually campus or feels too Greeky.) And he hates it when we pass by a classroom on a tour and everybody just looks zoned out. </p>

<p>If anybody can either add to the list of schools that should be on our radar, or can comment on the vibe of the schools we haven't visited yet, that would be wonderful! </p>

<p>Thank you so much.</p>

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<p>other then oberlin I love your list.
I would add muhlenberg college.</p>

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<p>Rhodes, perhaps?</p>

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<p>I can’t believe people replied already! This is amazing. (My first post, can you tell?) Zobroward, thank you! Do you mind if I ask what you mean by “other than Oberlin”?</p>

<p>Nova2nola, I liked the look of Rhodes (and it’s on the way to Hendrix, so we might visit) but my impression was it’s pretty conservative?</p>

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<p>I"d also consider Reed (if you are willing to go out west), as well as Wesleyan & Middlebury (if you are willing to to go east).</p>

<p>And he might qualify for a good bit of merit aid at Wooster so I think it is worth keeping in the mix if he liked the school.</p>

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<p>Haverford and Colorado College sound like good matches for your son.</p>

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<p>Rhodes may be too Greek for him. What about Carleton and St. Olaf?</p>

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<p>How far east is he willing to go?</p>

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<p>Geeky places DD2 liked included Kenyon, Lewis and Clark, and Carleton.</p>

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<p>He’s not ruling any place out based on location at this stage. If it end up just loving the school, he’ll go pretty much anywhere. </p>

<p>I guess I worried Carlton, Haverford, and Colorado were a little reachy?</p>

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<p>Also, I know I must be missing something obvious (I’m blaming sleep deprivation), but I don’t see an easy place to get to this thread. Is there some place where it just says “Your threads” or “someone commented on your thread” that I’m just not seeing? How do you all get to your own threads or threads you have commented on?</p>

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<p>Carleton is reachy. DD2 was waitlisted with a 4.0/#1 in class/34 ACT.</p>

<p>You can click on your name to see what threads you’ve posted to.</p>

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<p>As I was reading your post, Wooster immediately came to mind. I’m glad you’ve looked at it already. </p>

<p>As an incoming freshman at Wooster, I think I can give you some info about merit aid. Wooster does not, at least to my knowledge, give full merit scholarships. The primary merit opportunity is the College Scholar Award, which is for up to 25k per year. I am almost certain that your son would receive the full 25k. I received 22.5k from the Award. I had a 3.94 UW, 2130 SAT, and 4 APs, just to give you a frame of reference. Wooster also has some smaller art and music scholarships, if your son is so inclined. Let me know if I can answer any questions about Wooster!</p>

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<p>cumulus, your son sounds like a lot of kids (my S included) who are looking for intellectually vibrant schools that are not overly-competitive. I think you’ve already received some great suggestions.</p>

<p>Haverford might be “reachy,” but coming from KY, I wouldn’t rule it out. They only offer need-based aid however. It was S’s top choice until he decided he’d like a LAC with engineering. We were also strongly considering Macalester, St. Olaf (great merit money for strong math students, IIRC), Grinnell, Oberlin, Colby and Bates as slightly less-reachy options.</p>

<p>If he’s looking for merit money (as many of us are!), I would add Ursinus to the list of Muhlenberg, Beloit and Rhodes. Lawrence, St. Lawrence, Cornell College (IA) and Kalamazoo might be worth a look too.</p>

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<p>Not sure he would love Eckerd enough to make it worth the trip - Gorgeous school, but kids are a bit preoccupied with being out in all the recreation areas like going out on the Gulf rather than being quite as participative in classes. Just based on a nephew who went there two years.</p>

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<p>Certain good merit aid at Hendrix and Wooster, likely at St Olaf (cited above). No Greeks, engaged students.
What about Guilford, Pitzer, Allegeny, Austin College, Lewis&Clark, St Mary’s of Maryland?
New College Florida would probably match but not sure about merit aid.</p>

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<p>Check out the Kiplinger’s site for information about merit scholarships.
[url=&lt;a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php?table=lib_arts&state_code[]=ALL&id[]=none]Kiplinger’s"&gt;http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php?table=lib_arts&state_code[]=ALL&id[]=none]Kiplinger’s</a> Best Values in Private Colleges-Kiplinger<a href=“click-sort%20on” title=“avg non-need-based aid” or “% of non-need-based aid”>/url</a></p>

<p>The most selective New England and mid-Atlantic LACs (including Middlebury and Haverford) generally don’t grant much if any merit aid.</p>

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<p>New College of Florida is seeking out of state students, giving out $15,000 a year scholarships if admitted </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.ncf.edu/out-of-state-freshmen[/url]”>http://www.ncf.edu/out-of-state-freshmen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>You are getting great suggestions. I would also add Knox.</p>

<p>Agree that Rhodes might be a bit Greek/conservative but it’s worth seeing for yourselves, especially if you are driving through Memphis on the way to Hendrix. </p>

<p>I think your son would really like Hendrix, btw. PM me if you would like more information. My son goes there and loves it.</p>

<p>PS: I have never heard of Beloit having a large Greek scene. I would expect the student body to be similar to any of the more liberal colleges suggested above.</p>

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