<p>A couple of pretty campuses in the Bay Area--Santa Clara U and St. Mary's--Since you are looking at USF, might as well look at a couple of others in the area.</p>
<p>Look at Kalamazoo College, a LAC with a very pleasant campus. It is great in the sciences and has many innovative programs. Kalamazoo is a mid-size city, once voted the "best" in America.</p>
<p>connecticut college- especially for environmental biology</p>
<p>I liked my safety (Austin College in Sherman, Texas) mostly because I would probably get merit money. However, it is pre-med powerhouse and one of the colleges that change lives. Almost everyone studies abroad and they have really fun Jan term classes. People are friendly, but religious and conservative in general. The campus is small and green and there is Greek Life, but it's not an overwhelming presence and there is no hazing whatsoever.</p>
<p>I feel very lucky that I love my 2 safties, Drew and Clark. I wouldn't mind attending either and have a good chance of getting merit money there rather than others I applied too. I lot of kids at school think of their safety as a "I hope not!", but I just happened to feel a fit when I visited these 2, so I'm not too worried. (know I got into Drew)</p>
<p>Cami215--what do you know about Kalamazoo? My daughter (highschool jr.) expressed an interest in this college just the other day. Apparently she met someone at her language camp that went to Kalamazoo and it sounded interesting to her.</p>
<p>Again, thanks for all the suggestions! =) I'm considering USF and Santa Clara so far alongside with my other safety state schools.</p>