<p>@4kids4colleges, Cornell College is my daughter’s sole midwest college. She would rather be on the water, so schools like NCF and Eckerd are on her list. She wants to avoid being ‘landlocked’. (I’m still hoping she may apply to Beloit and Earlham RD.) Her list is very similar to the one you posted above, just swap a few of your schools for others of the same ilk but different state. As she being filling out the CA and writing out the short answers/supplemental essays, she’s becoming more and more interested in Cornell College and the idea of one class at a time when she started working on figuring out her ideal block course… She began to realize how unique this experience can be. If she gets in, we will definitely visit (no time to visit this fall)</p>
<p>Don’t know if their policy has changed, but the highest merit scholarships at Rhodes required a day of interviews with staff, faculty and other candidates. D was offered $34K in aid, one of the best merit offers she received. We were concerned about the neighborhood around the campus (opinions vary from ok to not so great.) The campus is gorgeous though; the pledging rate is on the high side for a LAC.</p>
<p>Thanks to your input, we have cut down the list, at least a little bit. Husband HATES the idea of Memphis , so Rhodes is out. Smith out. Occidental and Scripps out (not enough merit). Bryn Mawr. Hmmm. Probably not the place for this D anyway. She is very smart. Not very “intellectual.” Was perfect for me. Maybe not her thing. No to Oberlin and Kenyon, not enough merit. </p>
<p>However, we like the LACs in Texas, a few in the South, a few in the Midwest. Knox offers many CO regional scholarships. She loves Cornell College, and a classmate one year ahead is there now. Another kid a year ahead at Beloit. Reallly smart guidance counselor recommends Redlands and Westminster (UT), LACs that get very little attention on CC.</p>
<p>Redlands and Westminster get big thumbs up from guidance counselors in the rocky mountain region. Glad they are still on your list- and I hope your D gets to check them out!</p>
<p>@gandalf78, her stats are not in the ballpark for merit at Davidson, and admission there would be a reach. </p>
<p>I know you are looking to rule things out but I think your husband may be selling Rhodes, and Memphis, short. While some parts may be sketchy, the campus is very safe and its urban location also offers opportunities for meaningful service that many other schools cannot (it was ranked Newsweek’s #1 Service-Oriented college twice in recent years, with about 80% of students participating). It’s also Presbyterian-affiliated, so pretty liberal as far as Christian denominations go. And, of course, the campus is just beautiful. On the other hand, Greek life seems pretty big for a small school so that may be another reason to eliminate it, but there are lots of ways the school might suit her. </p>
<p>S received merit aid of about $18K with similar stats, which is the smallest of the awards. He also received the same merit aid at Trinity (TX), which seemed pretty similar to Rhodes, but we never were able to visit so, unfortunately, no advice there. Good luck!</p>
<p>@yaupon: Yes, I agree that admissions at Davidson would be a reach; I also agree that the likelihood of significant merit aid is not good. I was trying to suggest that the Davidson Trust might be able to provide some grant assistance, with the possibility of some merit aid around the edges.</p>
<p>I appreciate your input @julesegr. I would rather keep Rhodes on the list, sounds beautiful and a great school. Also, gorgeous library (I personally love beautiful libraries!). How does your S like Rhodes so far? </p>
<p>He loves it. He loves all his classes, particularly his humanities classes, which was a big surprise to me as he is more a math/science kid. He’s made a bunch of friends, joined a fraternity, and has done a little exploring of Memphis. His main criteria when he was looking was small LAC, warm weather, and if possible, a good sports culture, so he finds Memphis an asset compared to other LACs, and is looking forward to basketball season there. And you are right – that library is SO beautiful, I could move right in. </p>
<p>Well ACT did not go up, scores out today. But 36 on English. 30 math. Science and reading not so good. One more try in Oct! </p>
<p>Thank you all again for input, very helpful. </p>
<p>One last question, and I apologize it does not go with the thread I started. How would you compare Honors Colleges at public universities vs. LACs? Good honors at CU, CSU, ASU, U of Utah. All very affordable, nearby. But I’m thinking Honors Colleges/Programs can’t compare to LACs (I am biased, having experienced giant U at Boston U for law school, Bryn Mawr for UG. Not comparable in any way, not even close. Bryn Mawr wins by far for UG experience). </p>
<p>Have you considered Honors programs at a couple Midwest schools like Iowa State or Creighton? Both those should come in at or around $20K. Not really too warm, but nice schools.</p>
<p>Have not looked at Honors in Midwest. Honors at CU and CSU pretty affordable, in state tuition, pretty campuses, and Colorado is a great place to be. Same for Salt Lake City and Arizona. Good quality of life. Its hard to go beyond that, but worth a look at Midwest! Thanks!</p>
<p>Thanks @LakeWashington. We were underwhelmed by both U of Portland and Willamette. The Willamette info session began in a horrible, hot, ugly room in the unattractive library. Speaker was great, the rest of the tour bad. Did not like Salem at all, boring. Lewis & Clark much more impressive, U of Puget Sound too. Weird because we both loved Willamette on paper. Thank you for the ideas about other southern LACs.</p>
<p>@4kids4colleges My D is a current senior with similar stats (30 ACT; 3.5 UW/4.0 W) and wants to attend a warm weather LAC. Our financial stats are similar to yours too. As for religion, it’s not too important to D, but she is curious enough to attend a weekly bible study with a friend from HS. Evangelical is a definite turnoff for us and D. Like you, we attended a CTCL college fair and were sold the idea of this type of school. </p>
<p>We’ve spent quite a bit of time looking at schools online and have toured several in the South. You might want to check out the thread I started (Southern LACs) for some more thoughts from CC members. Here are my thoughts on some LACs.</p>
<p>Eckerd: We have visited twice and a close relative is a junior their now. No overpass as others have mentioned. The campus has a definite liberal/granola feel to it. Students seem very service oriented. Lots of kids from out of state. Academics don’t seem as strong to me as other colleges… Marine Biology is the exception but 50% of the freshman intending to major in this area switch majors. Campus is on the bay… beautiful location but the building architecture leaves much to be desired in our opinion. Way too much concrete for our liking. St. Pete has an upscale downtown area but this is a 15 minute drive away.</p>
<p>Rollins: Toured. This still tops D list, but not ours. Campus is the most stunning of any college we have visited. Architecture and grounds are beautiful. Right on a lake with a swimming pool overlooking this lake. Seems pricey for the academics but college classes are small. Campus is across the street from shopping/eating mecca of Winter Park. Reminds us of the walkable downtowns in suburban areas outside of the large cities in the northeast. Very upscale area. </p>
<p>Fl Southern: Toured. Nice campus. Felt like high school to us… not serious academically.</p>
<p>Stetson: Toured. Small but interesting town. Campus is inviting. Great music school. Doesn’t seem strong in the sciences. Great cost of attendance. Many students from Florida. D didn’t like the campus though so it’s off our list.</p>
<p>UTampa: Toured. Lots of students from the northeast. Campus buildings are newer. Seems more congested than other campuses, but this is an urban college. Academics don’t seem too strong and class sizes are larger than most LACs. Has an honors college though. Still on Ds list as a safety.</p>
<p>Agnes Scott: Walked the campus but didn’t take a tour. Beautiful campus. Got a feminist vibe to the campus… don’t know if this is true or not. Has some academic connections with Emory. </p>
<p>Sewanee: Toured. Beautiful campus. Very isolated but outdoor recreation opportunities abound. Greek. Traditional in that students seem to dress up to go to class and some students have the honor of wearing black gowns to class. Biology seems particularly strong for a LAC. Kids seem to love this school and graduate.</p>
<p>Rhodes: Toured. Beautiful campus if you like gothic architecture. Similar feel to Sewanee without the isolation and traditions. D likes this one a lot. If you’re at all comfortable with cities, I wouldn’t cross this one off the list because of it’s location. Memphis brings many opportunities for service and learning. Academics seem top notch. (Privately hoping D attends this school). Kids seem to love this school and graduate.</p>
<p>Richmond: Walked the campus but didn’t tour. This school seems to have an exceptional biology program. Campus is beautiful. Lots of OOS students. Seems a bit pricey compare to other southern LACs but could be worth the extra money for the academics. Kids seem to love this school and graduate.</p>
<p>Elon: Walked the campus but didn’t tour. Isolated in a small town. Beautiful campus and architecture. Greek. Many students from the northeast (suspecting wealthier families from NJ/NY/Conn similar to UTampa). Seems pricey for what you get academically.</p>
<p>Wofford: Toured. Beautiful campus. Academics seems in line for a typcial LAC. Good net price for COA. Div I sports. Greek. Very reasonable net price. Kids seem to love this school and graduate.</p>
<p>Birmingham Southern. Toured. Beautiful campus but not immediately adjacent to anything. Birmingham is a surprisingly nice city located in rolling hills. Very reasonable net price. Had some recent financial difficulties but seems to be recovering. President is a strong leader. Would check this one out.</p>
<p>Centre College. Visited but didn’t tour. In a small town in rural Kentucky. Nice campus. Academically strong. Student newspaper had several articles comparing the school to Ivy League colleges (inferiority complex?). Has a strong academic tradition in Kentucky. Lots of leaders graduated.</p>
<p>Bryn Mawr: Visited but didn’t tour. Lived in Philly area for several years though. Beautiful campus. In an old money part of Philly. Has a good reputation.</p>
<p>I’ve run the NPC for our financial situation with Ds scores on several LACs. Here are the net prices for every expense with merit/grant aid in parentheses (YMMV):</p>
<p>Rhodes: 28500 (27000)
Tampa: 26500 (13000)
Rollins: 37500 (25000)
Wofford: 26000 (20000)
Birmingham Southern: 21900 (25000)
Stetson: 26100 (27000)
Richmond: 38900 (33000)
Oxford College at Emory: 39400 (21000)
Washington and Lee: 32400 (28800)
Oxy: 47000 (19900)
Claremont consortium schools: 40000 (20000)</p>
<p>Forgot to say this. If your D likes libraries, the Rhodes library is the best we’ve seen. Lots of windows, Starbucks across the hallway. This library entices.</p>
<p>Please, please look at Meredith College in Raleigh. It is a women’s college with Baptist roots and a continuing (moderate to liberal) Baptist presence. There are Christian groups on campus, as well as Muslim and interfaith groups, and Meredith states that it does not discriminate in admission on many factors, including sexual orientation, so that might be a comfortable place for your daughter theologically.</p>
<p>Meredith is one of those schools that is not hard to get in but that offers a very fine education. I would be very happy to send a daughter there. Meredith has a collaborative arrangement with nearby North Carolina State University. Students at both schools can take courses at the other. It is even possible for a Meredith student to get a dual degree in engineering through that program.</p>
<p>Meredith has a beautiful, leafy, very safe campus in a wonderful location between downtown and the airport, next to a quirky-ish shopping center. There is a greenway to the North Carolina Art Museum. Meredith students can ride Raleigh’s bus system free, and Zipcars are available.</p>
<p>There is a (positive) joke about the Meredith network, but I can’t remember the way it goes. Suffice it to say, the network is strong.</p>
<p>I can’t speak to financial aid/scholarships, but I would think that your daughter might qualify for something at Meredith.</p>
<p>Best wishes! If you decide to visit, I can recommend some things to do in the area or suggest some people at Meredith to get in touch with.</p>
<p>Guilford would probably be a safety (or low-match) for you, Dadof1, and the Quaker traditions should meld with your daughter’s outlook. She is likely to receive a scholarship in the $15k range. Greensboro has a booming arts and cultural scene, and the campus is very pretty. </p>
<p>Lewis & Clark College is a beautiful campus set in a residential area of Portland in the hills. It’s small with small class sizes and classes with a lot of discussion and debate. Students generally discuss academics outside of class. It’s not an easy school academically.</p>
<p>I’m the one who mentioned its near a freeway yet everyone else says no. I remember a freeway and on google maps there is a major freeway 275 that goes over the water and isn’t that on the far edge of campus. Am I confused?</p>
<p>Check into Washington College in Chestertown, MD. They are generous with need based financial aid but I am not so sure about merit aid. Anyway, though it barely misses the top 100 LAC according to US News, it is a GEM of a LAC. Gorgeous setting on MD’s eastern shore. Excellent, personalized education. </p>