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<li><p>Have a sit down with your parents and ask that they run an EFC calculator. This will at least give an idea of cost. Be sure to warn them that many schools do “gap” and will expect more than the “Expected Family Contribution.”</p></li>
<li><p>Some close to home, but OOS Honors Colleges within bigger U to chose from:</p></li>
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<p>Indiana University of PA Robert E. Cook – This is a fairly “new” program. Classes the first 2 years seem to be more honors seminar than “mainstream.” The Honors dorm and Honors classes are held in the same building. Mr. Cook is heavily involved in the school. I’m a parent and PA resident. This school is high on our list for financial reasons. Like you, my son is very concerned with the “party” rep of IUP. The more he digs into the school, the more appealing it is becoming.</p>
<p>Pitt – The honors college here operates much differently than IUP. Comparing these two schools may give you an idea as to the variety of Honors colleges. Pitt is one of the public schools known to offer “good” merit.</p>
<p>Alabama – Spend some time on CC and you will certainly here of this school. Their website shows the SAT/GPA needed for each scholarship amount. I haven’t seen it in person yet, but their honors dorms in photos are the best I have ever seen.</p>
<p>Ironically, St. Mary’s of MD is also high on the list in our household, but being OOS it is not necessarily financially a good bet for us.</p>
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<li> LACs - I would suggest you check out some of the Colleges That Change Lives schools (book by Loren Poper - there is a website). All are small schools, some, like Rhodes in Memphis, have competitive merit scholarships that cover full tuition (but not room & board).
The Parents sub-forum here is a good place to lurk and learn the names and merit awards for small LACs. There are so many schools near MD, but still OOS, in VA or PA.</li>
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<p>The biggest issue my family is finding is that many LACs do not publish on the website all the merit award amounts. Some that do publish the award amount does not publish an “hard” SAT/GPA of the average winners.</p>
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<li><p>If your EFC is doable and your SAT/GPA are in the range you indicated, Google “Schools that meet Full Need” This list can change from year to year. Some on the list will meet full need of only In-State students, some will require loans be taken.</p></li>
<li><p>What year are you in high school? </p></li>
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<p>CC has taught our family and extended family so much about the college process and the financial feasibility. I hope you will find it as good a source as we have!</p>