<p>Lafayette is a division 1 school, so if her times are in that type of competitive range, she might get some athletic scholarship money. They do also offer some nice merit scholarships but I don’t think your D’s present stats are quite high enough for them. They just don’t give out enough and the competition is stiff. Maybe if she can get that ACT up just a couple of points. Muhlenberg gives some nice merit money, and although Division 3, they actively recruit athletes for their teams. I think your D will qualify for some good merit money there.</p>
<p>Thank you for the information. Yes, our daughter needs $20,000 to attend a $65,000 school (we will manage the other $45,000). She would very much like to attend a school that doesn’t have any or hardly any greek life (which would rue out Union College, Gettysburg and Dickenson). You’ve mentioned a few schools that I don’t know anything about … Gustavus, Beloit and Providence. I will look into them. I was hoping Oberlin would give some merit aid. How about Kenyon?</p>
<p>We can afford about $45,000 per year. Thanks for the question about female versus male ratio, mom3collegekids. My daughter wants to attend a school that is approximately 50% male and 50% female. She does not want to attend a school that is lopsided with female students. She also wants a school with no greek life. We know that division III schools don’t athletic scholarships … however, we were told that, if you qualify for any financial aid, they can give you more financial aid if they want. For example, if you qualify for $500 in financial aid, the school could choose to give you $10,000 in financial aid. </p>
<p>Young women can be at a disadvantage in applying to top northeastern LACs. We know several with excellent scores (3.9, 2300) and grades who were shut out.</p>
<p>Would suggest looking at Rhodes, St. Olaf, Gettysburg, and St. Mary’s/MD (public LAC). </p>
<p>Um…are you saying a school would give you $10,000 in NEED based aid instead of $500? I seriously doubt that.</p>
<p>If you can pay $45,000 a year…add to that the $5500 Direct Loan your student can take, and you have $50,000. I honestly think you can find colleges that cost $50,000 a year…or less…for your daughter to attend.</p>
<p>OP- I think you misheard on the scholarship front. I believe that “if they really want you” a college will find a way to replace some of the loans in your package with a grant. But I’ve never heard of someone qualifying for 500 bucks in need based aid ending up with a 10K package.</p>
<p>I personally think it will be a challenge to get $20,000 in merit aid at these highly competitive LACs. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>OP…the question is…is your calculated family contribution more than $45,000 a year?</p>
<p>Dickinson, St. Olaf, Lawrence (Wisconsin), Mount Holyoke (as her to visit before rejecting if she isn’t sure about single sex colleges, both my kids ended up loving it when they visited). Dickinson and Lawrence have a Greek presence, but it is not overwhelming – my D1 attended Dickinson, was not Greek, and had a great experience. Macalester, Oberlin and Kenyon give some merit aid, but her stats may not be high enough to get as much there as some other schools. Have you looked at St. Mary’s College of Maryland? It is the public honors college for Maryland, but quite LAC-like – rural, on the St. Mary’s River, feels almost like a summer camp. And even OOS it might fit your price range.</p>
<p>Here’s a list that you can examine: <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/07/08/education/edlife/8edlife_chart.htm”>http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/07/08/education/edlife/8edlife_chart.htm</a></p>
<p>Be aware that to get that kind of money from a school, they have to give out merit awards in that range and your DD has to be in that top echelon of students going to that school to have a shot at that kind of money. The schools you are listing that your daughter likes are all reaches for her, and even if they gave out merit money, she wouldn’t be likely to get any. She’d be crossing her fingers to even be getting in the door as a full pay. It’s not easy getting more than say $5K in merit money. One of my kids got a lot of merit awards but $5K was the top amount, hardly a dent off the $60K price tag . My other who did get some hefty awards had near perfect SATs. Getting a large award with a 31 ACT means finding a schools where that puts her in the top 5% of students going there. Check out some schools like Allegheny College, Denison, and smaller catholic colleges. </p>
<p>There are schools that do give merit within need. If you qualify for some need, you are also eligible for some merit awards that may indeed end up more than ones need. But that is info very specific to schools and not listed anywhere. You have to get that info from the admissions ofificers. The situation can change each year as well. YOu still have to have the merit to get that award as well as the need, and usually it’s the top prospects that so qualify. Getting $20K in money that has any merit component is not an easy thing to get. And a 31 ACT is not way up there for merit money, even within the need pot. </p>
<p>Start listing the schools that even give merit aid, and then see where you student is within those schools. Also run some NPCs and see where you are close in getting any need based aid. </p>
<p>My kid who is at Oberlin now got $15,000 merit with a 30 act (no hooks). She was offered $15K at Dickinson (not very Greek, a lot less than Gettysburg) and 20K at Denison and 25k at Juniata. So it’s out there, and you don’t have to be in the tippy top necessarily…</p>
<p>I have to say the first school that popped into my head was Ursinus. They give great merit and I think it may have the vibe your D is looking for. But if you branched out into other sorts of schools, Moravian, Muhlenberg, Catholic U, and possibly Loyola Maryland would most likely come down into your price range. </p>
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<p>Try to get past this feeling. Graduating debt free is the reward she gets for doing so well. And what a gift that is! So few of her peers will have it.</p>
<p>You’ve got a large budget with which to work. I think you should be able to find a great school for your D - good luck! </p>
<p>“Um…are you saying a school would give you $10,000 in NEED based aid instead of $500? I seriously doubt that.”</p>
<p>Bates gave my son $10K more in grant aid than we expected with our EFC. He had no loans in his package his first year.They have kept the level of aid about the same (he is a senior) just upped his student contribution a little each year and added minimal loans (which we haven’t needed to take) and we also absorb his student contribution - so our cost has risen over the 4 years (as tuition has increased.) H’s income has also increased since S was a freshman but our cost for his four year is only going to be $81K. </p>
<p>Their FA package came to $10K more than the highest merit aid he received ($30k from St. Lawrence) </p>
<p>S was not a recruited athletic, but he is Asian so considered a URM at Bates. Whether that is why they gave him such a nice package, I have no idea. </p>
<p>I would suggest the OP D look at St. Lawrence. It was my son’s 2nd choice and he would have gone there if he didn’t get in at Bates. </p>
<p>S had similar ACT score and his GPA was 3.8 UW. </p>
<p>Franklin and Marshall does not give merit aid.</p>
<p>We like Ursinus alot too, but it is super tiny.</p>
<p>Definitely check out Muhlenberg.</p>
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<p>Truer words were never spoken.</p>
<p>A lot of kids work hard in high school. Hopefully they are (mostly) doing it because they love learning.</p>
<p>Your daughter needs a safety school anyway. I’d encourage you to visit one that sounds appealing (people have made good suggestions here) and see what you think. There are SO many great colleges out there–many that you haven’t heard of. You’d be surprised how many fantastic options there are beyond the schools you’ve already heard of.</p>
<p>Your DD did very well, Usernameim, and the OP certainly should give teh schools a go, but it’s rare to get that kind of money from Oberlin. I know many, many kids who applied there, including my best friend’s DD who had much higher test scores, and she got zip from Oberlin, her first choice school and they would not budge. She did get money from Denison. My other good friend’s DD who went to Dickinson did not get any merit with higher test scores than that. So clearly, your daughter had something special going for her to get that kind of money. Looking at the common data, neither Dickinson nor Oberlin give out much in merit money. Of course that does not matter as long as any given student gets the money, but it’s a long shot and the OP 's DD should pick her list understanding the odds of getting that kind of money at any given school.</p>
<p>I still say…with a $50,000 a year budget, there are PLENTY of small colleges that your daughter can attend…with not a nickel of aid beyond the Direct Loan. All the LAC types of schools do NOT cost $65,000 a year…they just don’t.</p>
<p>I posted this on the other thread…</p>
<p>The OP really has a $50,000 a year budget…$45,000 parent contribution, and $5500 Direct Loan. There are PLENTY of smaller colleges with price tags in this range. This student should be able to find a college to attend without a speck of aid for $50,000.</p>
<p>Hi Usernamelm, does your daughter like Oberlin so far? For the most part, did you find the students to be politically and environmentally aware? More than other schools? My daughter worries that she won’t fit in at Oberlin. I’m just wondering what vibe you got from the students/school. Thanks!</p>