Connecticut College
Wesleyan College (CT)
Wheaton College (MA)
I would find out what your D considers “school spirit” before you get too far down the road. Brandeis for example- the kids are very passionate (typically) about social justice issues, volunteering, community engagement, etc. but it’s not a school with a big rah rah element. Ditto Skidmore and Wesleyan. So spirited? For sure. School spirit? Don’t know what you mean.
I’d also try and get your D to open her mind to bigger schools. It is much easier to find your peeps at a place where there’s everyone and ever thing, than it is at a smaller college.
I’d add Smith and Mt Holyoke unless they are too remote?
Providence College would likely fit the bill for school spirit.
@blossom – thanks. I think what you describe at Brandeis is what she is looking for. Brandeis, Wesleyan and Skidmore are on the list. I am actually afraid they will be too small and she will want bigger. She really wants midsize, and those seem hard to find (except Ivies which we are not looking at)
@LuvsLabs thanks. URochester looks interesting. Would love some other schools that size (midsize) to add to list as well.
If she’s looking for a strong social justice component/activist community (vs. “school spirit”) then that opens up a different set of colleges- Brandeis for sure, Bryn Mawr/Swarthmore?
And maybe drop the focus on size… first of all, because it’s really not that material on a day to day basis. Yes- Marlboro College feels different from BU. But rural Vermont IS different from downtown Boston. So maybe size is a red herring and she’s really trying to define a vibe and not a size.
And if you can focus on “what does good art and music” mean- that will help. Any urban college will have access to symphony/museums/galleries because that’s what living in a city means. Wesleyan has a lot of very talented and musical kids- is that important? Barnard attracts dancers and visual artists-- so does Fordham and every other college in NYC.
Maybe American U (8,100 undergrads)? GWU is bigger, close to 12,000 undergrads, but close by if you’re visiting DC anyway. Both would be matches.
Any interest in Catholic colleges? You might not expect them to be LGBT friendly, but they often are, especially the Jesuit schools. I’m thinking of Fordham in particular, also a match.
@LuckyCharms913 …these schools would be great except we are in DC so child does not want to stay in our city 
And, I think Jesuit schools are out for us though Fordham may be one to look at… thank you
@blossom thank you for this. Yes, I agree that it may be a vibe thing instead of size, so I am compiling a list that has schools of all sizes for us to visit and consider-- just wanted to get a sense of what schools are realistically in range for her given her interests and what she thinks she wants.
You are right on the urban colleges having art and music, etc…wondering about other schools not in cities. Wants something with some art/music activities and interests.
Lin Manuel Miranda is a Wesleyan grad…and dozens of “less famous” working artists in a variety of musical and artistic genres went there. It is not urban and it’s a bit of a hike to Boston, New Haven and NYC. That’s just one example of a college which does “performing arts” really, really well.
Smith
Mount Holyoke
Hobart & William Smith Colleges
Wheaton, (MA)
Saint Michael’s *
Connecticut College
Skidmore
Holy Cross *
Barnard
Vassar
Middlebury
Wellesley
North East schools my daughter seriously considered with similar criteria. Saint Michael’s and Holy Cross are Catholic and although the Northeast is very liberal, these may not 100% fit your criteria. Wheaton (MA) and Connecticut College seem small considering their location. Some of these schools don’t feel as small if they are in or next to a city, such as Smith being in Northampton, Skidmore being next to Saratoga Springs and Holy Cross being in Worcester. Even Wellesley being next to a very nice town give the students something to do within walking distance. We found the all Woman’s colleges or the ones that used to be all Woman’s were LGBT friendly and not into sports and frats, hence many of them made this list.
Agree with @Beenthere22 's list. A couple more to think about that she’d most likely be a match for:
Dickinson
Univ. Delaware
James Madison University
In NY, there are SUNYs she might like that are “mid-size” - Geneseo or New Paltz?
From @ChaosParent23 's list, Duke, Rochester, CM, and Georgetown are most likely real reaches given current info. Everywhere just keeps getting more & more competitive.
For schools with arts programs (which would hopefully have “good art and music” for everyone on campus)
Ithaca
U Rochester
Hopefully, she doesn’t mind the cold! This week may not be the best time to start talking about northern schools.
Consider Ithaca College.
Should be a safety for her.
Look at University of Mary Washington or Virginia Commonwealth U.
Appalachian State University
If you do look at Fordham you should consider both the Rose Hill campus (in the Bronx) and the smaller Lincoln Center campus in the heart of Manhattan. Rose Hill has a traditional campus while Lincoln Center has a smaller undergrad population but houses both the theater and dance programs.
I’d also put in votes for Wesleyan, Vassar, Skidmore and perhaps Muhlenberg (as more a safety) as well if she is fine with LACs and they are not too rural. Dickinson might be another LAC to consider.
I’d look at Richmond - Bigger than many LAC’s at 3200 undergrads but not huge either. In a small city with plenty of fun things to do. Checks a lot of your DC’s boxes and fits the stats, too.
Great options so far. I’d definitely suggest BU, may want to look at Brandeis too in the Boston area. Another vote for Fordham, when we visited we didn’t find the Jesuit-ness overwhelming.
Maybe Clark, College of Wooster, Juniata?