<p>I've already submitted applications to Colby, Denison, Middlebury, Trinity, Skidmore and Dickinson, but the majority of these are reach schools. I have a 3.2 UW GPA (lots of APs) from a prep school, 28 ACT (24 S, 25 M, 30 R, 31 E, 10 W), hispanic. </p>
<p>I want to go to a liberal arts school for the sense of community, small class sizes, etc., but I'm struggling to find ones that I can actually get into. Academically, my focus in college will most likely be in international relations, languages, and economics. I will also need a school with good financial aid. (pell grant qualified) My test scores are extremely lopsided and my GPA is on the low end for all of these schools. There are a lot of LACs that are still accepting applications through January 15/February 1, I'm just not sure which ones I can get into.</p>
<p>Do you want to only consider schools in the same area as the ones you’ve already listed? And you didn’t mention any financial aid concerns, so I guess that’s not an issue. Occidental might be more of a match for you. Or Clark. How about Elon?</p>
<p>I’m sure other posters will have a more complete list.</p>
<p>Actually, the OP did mention something about that:</p>
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<p>For each school, put “net price calculator” in the web site search box to get an estimate of financial aid and net cost.</p>
<p>You did apply to some in-state public schools as safeties, right? It is rather late to be thinking about safeties, as many schools’ deadlines have already passed.</p>
<p>UAB would give you its [Blazer</a> Elite Scholarship](<a href=“Error 404 | Not Found”>Error 404 | Not Found) based on your GPA and ACT if it has any money left (first come first served).</p>
<p>Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA)
Hobart & William Smith Colleges (Geneva, NY)
Roanoke College (Salem, VA.)</p>
<p>Your ACT 28 might put you in the top quartile of applicants at these schools. Your GPA might be middle of the pack. All of these schools are pretty clear about merit and need-based aid on their websites. </p>
<p>St. Olaf - strong in all departments, lots of off campus study, meets full need, would likely be interested in diversity factor you that would bring, great community</p>
<p>College of Wooster, Ohio (RD deadline 2/15) is in the ballpark and is known for giving good financial aid. Consider also Cornell College in Iowa (but note: one-course-at-a-time format; RD deadline 2/1); Ohio Wesleyan (RD deadline 3/1!); Earlham College, Indiana (RD deadline extended to 3/1); Drew University, New Jersey (RD deadline 2/15). All good schools, and your stats make you a match for all of them. </p>
<p>Also, looking to the south: Millsaps College, Mississippi (RD deadline 2/1); Wofford College, South Carolina (RD deadline 2/1).</p>
<p>I’ve heard good things about Clark University, echoing another poster.</p>
<p>I’ve obviously drunk the Colleges That Change Lives koolaid, because many (not all) of the schools listed are CTCL schools, FWIW.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are many LACs with great academics but are known to admit mere mortals. In the PNW, look at Lewis & Clark, Puget Sound, and Willamette. In the midwest, I like Beloit, Earlham, Kalamazoo, Knox, Lawrence University, Saint Olaf, and Wooster. </p>
<p>Beloit, Kalamazoo, Lawrence, and Lewis & Clark are particularly strong in international studies.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. The most important factor right now is financial aid. I don’t want to have to take out more than the $5,500 per year I will be given through government loans.</p>
<p>I thought I would consider adding Gettysburg as a more realistic school because they claim to meet 100% of demonstrated need, but when I used their net price calculator it still left over $12,000 not covered by grants or loans.</p>
<p>I’d also really like to be on the East Coast or California. I hope that my stats are good enough to get into Skidmore or Denison which match my interests perfectly and offer good FA.</p>
<p>Holy Cross-ranked 29 by US news- is need-blind meets 100% demonstrated need. HC is 1 hour from Boston and has January 15th application due date.</p>
<p>Thanks for the HC suggestion but I agree with happy1 – I already have too many reaches. Do you think Trinity is safe to call a match? (especially with my being an URM)</p>
<p>I did a little more sleuthing to see if there was anything in the California direction where you might be in line to receive some merit aid. I know there’s a difference between California, Oregon and Washington, but threw those states in the mix. Also included some so-called regional universities that are on the small side, as your stats make you competitive at some of those schools.</p>
<p>Linfield College: McMinnville, OR. Never heard of it? Nor had I. It is church-affiliated (Baptist). Does not appear to be doctrinaire; sounds kinda interesting. Deadline: 2/15.</p>
<p>Pacific Lutheran: Parkland, WA (near Tacoma). Deadline: 1/31. (3,267 undergrads; U.S. News calls regional U.; fewer than 300 grad students so it probably feels more like a LAC than a university).</p>
<p>St. Mary’s College of California: Moraga, CA. Deadline 2/1. (Also a regional U.; 2,799 UGs, a bit more than 1,000 grad students).</p>
<p>University of Redlands: Redland, CA (65 miles east of LA). Rolling admission. (Also regional U: 3,000 or so UGs; 1,400 or so grad students.) Financial aid situation doesn’t look particularly promising, though.</p>
<p>I think that all of your schools are good possibilities, but may be slight reaches with your GPA. I understand that being from a good HS and being a URM will work in your favor. Still, being a cautious type, I’d quickly throw in an application to a real safety school or two (ex. Goucher, Siena, Hobart and William Smith, Muhlenberg or any others that pique your interest) just for peace of mind.</p>