<p>Hi, I am a rising senior and I have been narrowing my list for a while now. I am at an awkward economic position: our family is rich enough to barely qualify for only a bit of financial aid, but we just can not afford to pay full tuition. So I am looking for schools that will give me some merit aid. However, I also want to know much more about these Colleges/Universities I listed above. I am a gay male so that plays an important factor as well.<br>
If you have other college suggestions just let me know! I would love to have suggestions about schools in big cities as well. I already plan to apply to Illinois Tech.
I received a 30 on the ACT (English 30, Math 34, Reading 29, Science 28). I have a 3.9 weighted GPA. With a semi rigorous academic course load (especially in math). I was part of the rowing team for 3 years until I got an injury.
Thank you! Any answer whether its about these schools or suggestions of others or experience in my financial situation would be more than welcome!</p>
<p>Although I know of Lawrence and Allegheny I don’t have firm facts about them. I do believe that Allegheny is a more structured, core curriculum program than the other two schools you mentioned. You did not say what you are looking at for a major or even area of interest (studio art, politics, history, biology?) </p>
<p>My daughter will be a Sophomore at Knox next month and she absolutely loves it. They are on a trimester which means three 10-week terms each year and they urge taking only 3 classes per term for a total of 9 per year which is still more classes than most semester colleges suggest per year. Both the administration, professors, and kids are incredibly friendly and helpful, very “loosey-goosey” with requirements and very open helping students to create classes and majors or minors as the student desires.</p>
<p>Knox has been incredible for our daughter, she loves school, can’t wait to go back, is a tour guide this year, is self-confident, enthusiastic and her academic and artistic skills have soared. Can’t say enough great things about the school. Oh and of course they are famous for their commencement speakers and Presidential visits. I don’t know about their financial aid at all.</p>
<p>Have you checked these out: [Campus</a> Pride Releases 2013 ‘Top 25 LGBT-Friendly Universities And Colleges’ Listing](<a href=“Campus Pride Releases 2013 'Top 25 LGBT-Friendly Universities And Colleges' Listing | HuffPost Voices”>Campus Pride Releases 2013 'Top 25 LGBT-Friendly Universities And Colleges' Listing | HuffPost Voices)</p>
<p>If you see any that interest you, check for merit aid on the college website and try the Net Price Calculator.</p>
<p>If you want some suggestions of LACs in or near big cities:</p>
<p>LACs IN urban areas/big cities:</p>
<p>-Occidental College, in Los Angeles. Emphasizes egalitarian and humanitarian values.
-Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO.
-Emerson College in Boston
-Macalester College, in St. Paul, MN
-Trinity College in Hartford, CT.
-Wake Forest, in Winston-Salem, NC
-Rice University, in Houston. It’s not strictly a LAC, but it has a very small undergraduate population much like an LAC does and is known for a focus on undergraduate teaching.</p>
<p>LACs NEAR urban areas:</p>
<p>-Claremont Colleges - Claremont McKenna, Pomona, and Pitzer - all in Claremont, CA, 35 miles east of LA. Pitzer in particularly is focused on social justice and has an alternative curriculum.
-Swarthmore, Haverford, and Hampshire Colleges, close to Philadelphia
-College of the Holy Cross, 40 miles west of Boston
-Carleton College and St. Olaf College - in Northfield, MN, which is 1 hour south of Minneapolis-St. Paul</p>
<p>-Davidson College, just north of Charlotte, NC
-Marist College and Vassar College, both in Poughkeepsie, which is 1.5 hour north of NYC and easily accessible by train to the city. Poughkeepsie is a small city in its own right.
-Kenyon College, 1 hour north of Columbus, OH
-Connecticut College in New London, CT. Smaller city, but relatively close to Providence and NYC.
-Rollins College in Orlando
-Wheaton College, which is between Boston and Providence. Less than an hour to each.</p>
<p>I might also suggest Princeton and Brown. While they’re both universities, both are known for their focus on undergraduate education and both are in or near big cities (Princeton is halfway between Philadelphia and NYC, and Brown is in Providence). Both offer excellent financial aid as well.</p>
<p>As well as being 40 miles from Boston and Providence, Holy Cross is in the second largest city in New England: Worcester</p>