How does this list look?

DD is a junior with:
3.8 unweighted (honors where available, several AP) & 30 ACT
strong activities - will have 4 years in 2 sports & 2 captain, stuco pres.& rep, debate, orchestra, etc.

general Liberal Arts interest, possibly history, poli sci, english
prefer small schools, wouldn’t consider >8000

She would like to stay in mid-west through mid-atlantic - PA, OH, IN, MI, VA, TN, NC preferred, & her current interest list includes:
Richmond
Wooster
Hope
Davidson
DePauw
Hillsdale
W&M
W&Lee
Wake Forest
Dayton

What schools are we missing that would fit into this list? I feel like this list has a good mix of target & reach schools - could get merit at a few, but that wouldn’t make or break her decision. Already visited a few that she nixed for various reasons - Grinnell, Kenyon, Kzoo, Marquette

Those all look like good options & a good mix of safeties, matches, and reaches. Maybe consider some of the PA liberal arts colleges— Bucknell, Lafayette, Dickinson, Muhlenberg, Franklin & Marshall.

Furman in SC?
My D got good merit with similar GPA and 33 ACT.

May want to add both Furman & Wofford in SC; Rhodes in TN. Centre if willing to look at KY.

Good list! Hope you make it to Richmond and William and Mary. I agree Dickinson is very strong in her areas of interest and in the region, and a nice place. Good luck!

I agree with @buddyparent specifically Furman and Rhodes - lots of merit options available there, and both have absolutely beautiful campuses.

Definitely add Centre, and probably add Sewanee (University of the South). You mention that she’s already nixed Marquette (not even close to the peer group you’ve listed, incidentally) and Grinnell. If she’s willing to venture into the Upper Midwest, you should add St. Olaf and Macalester.

Second Dickinson, Muhlenberg, Rhodes, Centre, Loyola Maryland, Washington college, Furman. Wake as a reach.

i second rhodes, sewanee, centre, bucknell, lafayette, franklin & marshall, and dickinson! has she checked out denison?

Absolutely agree with Dickinson. Maybe add Gettysburg, too? If you visit Dickinson, it’s nearby. Also the others @beligr129 recommended. On the larger side, James Madison might be an interesting one to add. While she prefers small now, our D changed her mind between early senior & mid-senior year so it’s good to have a few schools of different sizes in the mix. Do you have a state school she’ll apply to? Are finances a factor? I would say with current stats Davidson and W&L may be a reach. Always good to have safeties. Would she venture into NY state? if so, Hobart & William Smith and Union may be worth considering. Good luck.

I think the list looks good along with other’s suggestions and maybe Denison, Elon or Butler. As you visit you will see there are definitely different vibes, for example Wake Forest vs Wooster. Is your daughter interested in Greek life? Some listed have higher percentages than other. Like city, rural, or in between? Also, how much can you afford and does merit play into it? While some schools on the list give similar merit, the starting prices vary greatly which means the bottom lines are very different.

rather than rural/urban, I think a better distinction is “within walkable distance to places of interest for college students” or “able to take public transportation anywhere you wish, lots of places to see even if can’t get in”, or “campus is small town onto itself”.
(“urban” is both Worcester and Chicago, “rural” can mean a cool college town like Ann Arbor or something like UVA-Wise or Harrogate TN, out in the middle of literally nowhere due to mountains… Kids often interpret rural as =nothing to do and urban = lots to do, when the reverse may well be true. Compare Troy and State College, or Baltimore to the Grinnell campus in terms of entertainment options with college kids’ budget).

As an FYI, Wake, in particular, places very strong emphasis on visiting and interviewing. Not doing so is not a deal breaker, but it is very definitely considered. The school is aggressively to expand financial aid, but it is fairly limited, at least it has been in recent years. So you might consider that, and research if it’s a consideration. Good luck!

There are some great suggestions here - so glad I asked for the list review.

We’ll do a few short toad trips & one longer swing across the midwest this summer - this input will be helpful as she schedules those visits in the next couple of weeks. I’d like to have a visit on the books for anyplace she’s serious about applying to keep the list focused when September rolls around!

Thank you!

Hey @igpt26, your list looks a LOT like ours. Want to compare notes over PM?