<p>Denison in Ohio – not too quirky, but might meet some of your other interests.</p>
<p>Clark in Worchester MA – I know a couple of theater and frisbee people who have been happy there!</p>
<p>What about some of the women’s colleges? (Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke)?</p>
<p>As I always do I am going to bring up money. juniormints, are your parents able to pay full tuition at these schools? If you are looking for financial aid your list needs to reflect that. For many schools FA comes in the form of loans. You may be better off to look for schools that would give you merit aid and avoid the loans. Please sit down now with your parents and figure out what they can practically afford to contribute. Then take a look at your list again with the finances in mind.<br>
Every spring there are tons of posters on this board who are accepted to their “dream” school but then realize they can’t afford it. Do not be one of those students. Spare yourself that heartache.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Completely agree with ebeee.</p>
<p>You need to know exactly what your parents can pay, what their EFC will be, etc. There’s no point in going thru the exercize of choosing schools only to find out that it’s unaffordable because they can’t meet need (without loans), or your parents’ EFC is too high and they can’t/won’t pay it.</p>
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<p>Exactly! Some students never have the $$ conversation with parents (or some mistakenly get told a large amount from one parent, without agreement from the other parent 
)</p>
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<p>Yes, too many families hear the words “financial aid” and they think “free money”. Then they get the shock of their life in the spring when the so-called “generous” FA package consists mostly of offers for loans that will be a huge burden later.</p>
<p>BTW…borrowing about $12k per year (about $50k total) will result in a monthly paymemt of over $600 per month for 10 very long years (about the ages of 23-33). Yikes.</p>
<p>But…on the bright side… 
…there are many schools that give generous merit!</p>
<p>I will not be requesting aid. Maybe, in a bad economy, this will be to my advantage?</p>
<p>At all but the richest schools, these days not requesting aid likely helps somewhat, how much varying by the school’s financial situaiton. Last year, both Reed and Tufts announced they were no longer need-blind</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>you’re quite lucky that your family can pay the $50k+ for you to attend the college of your choice! :)</p>
<p>There are some schools that are “need aware” - you would have an advantage at those schools.</p>
<p>Some top schools are…</p>
<p>Reed
Tufts
Santa Clara</p>
<p>(others can chime in with some others)</p>
<p>“Last year, both Reed and Tufts announced they were no longer need-blind”</p>
<p>Reed hasn’t ever been what we would now call completely need-blind. What Reed announced earlier this year was that due to the economic downturn, even fewer than before could be admitted need-blind (i.e., ability to pay would apply to more students than previously). Prior to about 2002, Reed might have been called pseudo need-blind, meaning that needy students were “gapped” such that they were admitted but their financial need was not met, so most could not attend.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/business/economy/10reed.html?_r=2&hp[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/business/economy/10reed.html?_r=2&hp</a>
[Letter</a> from the President of Reed College](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/president/email/june09_email_web.html]Letter”>http://www.reed.edu/president/email/june09_email_web.html)</p>
<p>If you don’t mind winters, Bates might be another good choice.</p>
<p>“it looks like I might make my first C in math this year…Wahoo! (TERRIBLE teacher, just bad luck)”</p>
<p>Just a hint: no matter how true this might be, don’t even hint about a bad teacher to prospective colleges. It can mean instant rejection if they think you blame others for your shortcomings. :)</p>
<p>IMO Carleton is a big reach. It was DD2’s first choice. Other “geeky” schools she liked were: Smith, Knox, Lewis and Clark, Oberlin.</p>
<p>Thanks Erin’s Dad…I have a friend really interested at Lewis and Clark…I don’t want to apply, too…She seems to be in love with the place…You don’t think Smith would be too much of a reach?</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad…</p>
<p>Is Carleton a big reach? Has it become more difficult to get admitted in recent years. My nephew went there, but he was admitted 6 years ago. He was a strong student, but not “stellar”. But, maybe things have become more competitive there.</p>
<p>What stats are needed now?</p>
<p>For stats see the latest CDS at [Carleton</a> College: Institutional Research and Assessment: Common Data Set (CDS)](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/ira/CDS1/]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/ira/CDS1/), sections C9 to C11.</p>
<p>just a note:
it’s thespian, not thesbian
it does not rhyme with lesbian</p>
<p>rocket6louise, </p>
<p>Some one else mentioned that, too haha…
I know how to spell “thespian”, though.
It was a mistake
Does anyone have any thoughts on Colorado College?</p>
<p>Re: Tufts and need blind.</p>
<p>Need Blind has always been a “goal” at Tufts. For the Classes of 2010 through 2012 (??), I believe Tufts was able to be need blind. Last year, for the Class of 2013, they were unable to be need-blind (became need aware) for the last few hundred apps they processed. Have no idea what this year will bring.</p>
<p>Colorado College is quite unique in regard to its block program. It’s a great school for the right kids. Based on what you’ve written, it sounds like it might be a good fit for you, but check out their web-site. I believe they are quite selective, but holistic in their admissions process.</p>
<p>And, I agree with all the advice about the upward trend on grades. Junior year is absolutely the most important.</p>
<p>IMO Carleton has become harder to get into. It was DD2’s first choice and she was waitlisted. Her stats were NMF, 34 ACT, 2280 SAT, 4.0 UW GPA, ranked #1 in class of 450. The most important factors in being accepted to Smith are: rigor, class rank and Recs. Test scores are only considered.</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad, </p>
<p>That is intimidating. It doesn’t sound like she could have done much in the way of improving her stats, though…Maybe she didn’t show enough interest?
Do you think, with one C (just one lousy C) that Smith would be a reach?</p>
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<p>Why, yes. I thought you’d never ask.</p>
<p>It is indeed quite unique. The one-course-at-a-time block plan is one unusual thing about it; the location is another. It’s in a small city (unlike so many LACs located in the boondocks) close to restaurants and shops. However, the town is set at the foot of Pike’s Peak in the Rocky Mountains, so it tends to attract very outdoorsy students. The area gets snow but also abundant sunshine. Winters are not nearly as bitterly cold as in Minnesota.</p>
<p>The block plan creates flexibility to schedule field work and special projects (because only one class is competing for your time). Each course has its own classroom reserved for only its students throughout the 3.5 week block, so class discussions can and do spill over past the scheduled hours. Classes tend to have about 15 students with lots of discussion and professor-student interaction. No large lectures. Participation expected; no place to hide in the back row and snooze. There is a system of $1000 Venture Grants to encourage independent projects. Natural sciences (geology, environmental science, bio) and anthropology/archaeology seem to be strong, but there’s also a nice arts & music scene (with a beautiful, innovative new arts center designed to encourage collaboration among different media.)</p>
<p>It is selective but not quite so much as Carleton or the top New England LACs. They do reach into the B+ range especially if your courses are rigorous. Students are a mix of types (brainy hippies, understated preppies, etc.) There is a small, low-key, non-exclusive Greek scene, and a strong D1 men’s ice hockey team that attracts spectators from the whole town. Also plenty of skiing, biking, hiking, and concert-going (with a 4-day break every 3.5 weeks between blocks).</p>