Your daughter matches my child’s stats very closely. She got tremendous merit from Washington college in Maryland . (She knows people who apply to both Dickinson and Washington College because both of those schools excel in same majors and people tend to get more merit from Washington). It is smaller than your daughter wants, but has everything you mentioned: smaller discussion based classes, very strong psych dept, theater and music for majors and non majors, strong business dept, high acceptance rate to med/vet/dental school for pre-professional. money for undergrads to do research, new region of country but not too far from home, cute town, very engaged professors, strong “student led club” scene—activities every night and active tight knit community. It’s usually a free app, so worth just applying. The students are very diverse in thought, dress, music tastes, etc. Not cookie cutter.
I’d add Loyola Maryland. She could take a class at Goucher or Hopkins too to get a different view of the world
Im adding that one to her list. As you say, smaller than her ideal but fits in so many other ways. Thank you.
You said she, so…
though geographically further afield Agnes Scott. Good merit aid, less competitive atmosphere but great prep for grad school and gets people into all the top fellowships. It’s over 1000 now, bud didn’t used to be, which kept it off a number of lists.
Another SE school: Oglethorpe. Had been in trouble financially but Forbes now has given them an award for best turnaround.
In the midwest: Lawrence
Look at the book Colleges that Change Lives. It’s really helpful.
U of Scranton might be worth considering. It’s Jesuit and has the educational rigor I think she’s looking for. It’s reasonably close. My coworkers son loved his time there and got into a few medical schools along with his wife he met while there (both in residency now).
For merit and combined academic/professional opportunities, look at Sarah Lawrence, Connecticut College, and Dickinson. Connecticut College in particular recently implemented a curriculum that encourages students to explore interests in applied settings, even if their majors don’t look pre-professional at first glance (they also offer financial incentives for students to use Career Services resources). I don’t know if Skidmore offers merit aid, but if so, could be a good fit. Honors colleges at SUNYs wold be worth a look, too.
Seconding StOlaf, SUNY Geneseo, Dickinson, Connecticut College (not sure about the merit being sufficient but worth a try).
What about St Mary’s Maryland (public honors college on the water)? SUNY New Paltz Honors? Ursinus? Wheaton MA?
Not bigger, but further:
Agnes Scott College
Lawrence University
Both more reasonably-priced to begin with, plus good merit.
We have discovered the out-of-state public are often no cheaper than private with good merit aid.
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