I’m not sure I see that OP needs $40-45K in merit?
Using Juniata as an example:
Estimated total cost (tuition and room/board) is $58,115 https://www.juniata.edu/admission/estimating-costs.php
OP’s EFC is around $46K, according to an earlier post, so colleges would expect a $46K contribution.
So would Juniata give approx $8K in financial aid? $58K - EFC of $46K = $8K
If so, OP would have budget of $30K + $8K in financial aid and would need $20K of merit aid to get to the total cost of $58K.
Similarly, Earlham estimates total cost as $58,265
https://earlham.edu/financial-aid/tuition-and-costs/
So if Earlham gave OP $8K in financial aid, OP would need approx $20K of merit aid.
Am I missing something, or were you assuming that Earlham and Juniata would cost more like $75K?
Oberlin and Wesleyan do cost over $70K, but not all private colleges mentioned above do.
Clark is $56K https://www.clarku.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/tuition-and-fees/
Goucher is $60K
https://www.goucher.edu/financial-aid/tuition-and-fees/
Lawrence is $59K
https://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/afford/financial
Although it may not be affordable, I think that you should visit Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York in order to determine if you want to focus on schools with an artsy, non-Greek vibe, or to focus on schools which offer your desired major of environmental science or food science.
Vassar College is another worth visiting in order to further refine your preferences.
I also think that the University of Vermont in Burlington might be a match. St. Mary’s College of Maryland is another.
Although not in your preferred region, Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida is worth investigating.
Hobart & William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York may match your interests.
However, if you decide to major in economics, then a different set of schools should be considered including UMD.
More potentially affordable schools mentioned above (depends on how much merit aid, but these give merit aid):
Knox is $58K
https://www.knox.edu/admission/cost-and-financial-aid
Ithaca is $59.5K
https://www.ithaca.edu/finaid/tuition/
JMU is $39.8K for OOS
https://www.jmu.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid-and-scholarships.shtml
SUNY New Paltz is $31.5 for OOS
https://www.newpaltz.edu/admissions/tuition.html
@Genevieve18 yes, your math is wrong. Financial aid and merit aid don’t normally stack. There may be exceptions, but it is a good work. It looks like Juniata would give the OP 25k leaving a fully loaded net cost of 35k.
@Genevieve18 many of the schools (including ones you listed) offer substantial merit aid which could make them affordable to the OP. As one example, I know a couple of people who received full tuition scholarships to Goucher.
I did not read all of the responses yet, so I don’t know if these already came up, but I think that Earlham, Wooster, and Kalamazoo could be match/target schools. They are in the midwest, so they end up with lower “rankings” but they offer the same great education as top schools in the east, and at a significantly lower sticker price. (Btw… with your stats, you should qualify for merit money from all three of them, and… I known that both Earlham and Wooster “stack” merit with financial aid.)
I think you might consider Grinnell (and maybe Oberlin) as reach schools.
Earlham, Grinnell, and Oberlin have no fraternities/sororities. Wooster has “Greek life” but it is not defining of identity. I am not for sure about Kzoo - I think they have none, but can’t promise. If they do have greek life, it is definitely not defining of the experience.
Earlham has absolutely amazing new Arts facilities (I have toured them recently!) and you don’t even have to be an arts major to use them! Earlham has strong traditions in the social sciences and a lot of flexibility in how you go about putting together a “major.” There is NO greek life at Earlham and they are definitely artsy and quirky. Look up their EPIC program, and their CoLab as you search (especially since you are not sure of your major) Also look up how they line up extra “concentration” areas. (especially since you are not sure of your major)