<p>Daughter wants small liberal arts college on east coast. Her credentials;
Sort of a "Lake Woebegone" kid...
3.8 unweighted, 4.3 weighted GPA in honors academy within public high school in good district
Good soccer player but not quite good enough for scholarship
SATs upper 600s to low 700s
Founder and president of one high school club; VP of another</p>
<p>We live in a fairly wealthy area, but are at best middle class ourselves. My worry is that the most prestigious liberal arts colleges will mostly have students much wealthier and/or academically gifted than her. We want a good undergrad education (with good prospects for grad school) but at a place where she won't feel overwhelmed academically or socially, and within 500 miles of Washington DC. Some of our ideas are Gettysburg, Dickinson, Bucknell. Others to consider? Thanks!!!</p>
<p>A few other ideas: in PA: Lafaytte, Muhlenberg, Franklin & Marshall, Upstate NY: Skidmore, Bard, Hamilton, Union; closer to NYC: Sarah Lawrence; Baltimore: Goucher (may be a safety). :If she would consider a women’s colleges you can look into those as well.</p>
<p>St. Mary’s College in MD is relatively inexpensive, UMBC (not sure if it is considered liberal arts, but they have some great options for merit).</p>
<p>Not within 500 miles of DC, but DS went to Connecticut College in New London and had a great experience.</p>
<p>I think Bucknell is very competitive and intense. Just a rumor, of course; I never attended nor did my kids. But that’s what I’ve heard. I know several people who attended and all of them are extremely successful and hardworking. </p>
<p>I’ve heard the same thing about Franklin and Marshall. </p>
<p>Other ideas (in addition to the above):
Bryn Mawr (women), Barnard (women), Connecticut College, Trinity College;
Juniata, St. Mary’s College of MD, Centre College;
Kenyon</p>
<p>What is your budget? You are “at best middle class”, but looking at expensive schools and planning on grad school as well. Grad school for what? What does she intend to study?</p>
<p>Great small LACs that also meet full need:
Mount Holyoke
Smith
also full need but probably feel more intense academically (which you said she might not like)
Wellesley
Bowdoin College (a bit further than 500 mi)
and I think (?) Skidmore also meets full need… if not they are very close.</p>
<p>Also consider:
Bard College
Bates College
Hampshire College
Connecticut College
Bennington</p>
<p>ask her to apply Bucknell to see if she can get their merit scholarship. I know their engineering program is intensive and a lot of work. It seems other programs are not so. Bucknell students told us themselves. Most of students don’t study much except engineering students. Bucknell students told us themselves. </p>
<p>Most of the private LACs do have much wealthier than average students but also a fairly prominent contingent of poorer ones. IMO the displays of wealth may be less obvious at a more rural school where virtually all activity happens on campus and most events are free.</p>
<p>If you do not live in the actual city of DC but rather MD or VA, you may wish to consider St. Mary’s College of Maryland, William & Mary College, University of Mary Washington (seems to occasionally be a safety for W&M applicants) depending on your state of residence. </p>
<p>Using the White House as the central point and drawing a 500 mile radius around it, here are some schools you may want to consider:
-Centre College (somewhat similar to Dickinson)
-Translyvania University (much more urban than Centre although the academics aren’t quite as strong)
-Davidson (very competitive but stellar need based aid and outstanding academics)
-Furman (very conservative, albeit not nearly as religious as the reputation suggests. Tough academics and an excellent, albeit optional thesis program)
-University of Richmond
-Wake Forest University (larger than a LAC but still a small sized university with good need based aid, and among the lowest percentage of small classes of any so called “national university”)
-Allegheny College (awesome interdisciplinary course work and should be an admissions safety. Somewhat prominent drinking scene and the financial/merit aid may not adequately cover COA)
-Franklin and Marshall (may be a bit too preprofessional for your daughter although strong academically)</p>
<p>I saw on another thread that Bowdoin’s acceptance rate has dropped to around 15%, so it’s probably reachy. She might get merit $ from Centre (not East coast, though) and Elon. If she is willing to consider women’s colleges, Hollins and Agnes Scott (again, not East coast). If you keep the 500 mile constraint but are open to schools not on the East coast, you increase options for both admission and merit scholarships.</p>
<p>If you are willing to look outside 500 miles, you may take a look at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Good record of merit and need based aid. Women’s division II soccer in sunshine conference as well as intramural. </p>