Ok also not safeties but visited with DSs when they looked and loved them
Skidmore, Colgate, Oberlin, Connecticut College, Kenyon, Bowdoin, Bates, Colby many are reaches but I feel it is sometimes good to have more to chose from when deciding and some schools you feel over qualified for will be a no and some complete reaches will be a yes.
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Muhlenberg seems like it would fit most of what you’re looking for. You’ve gotten some great suggestions here. Good luck!
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Skidmore offers only a tiny amount of merit aid, and they’re scholarships specific to science and I think music, and not a significant discount.
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I thought to so too, she crossed it off the list though after meeting with a rep at her school.
I would strongly encourage you to stop thinking in terms of “lowering expectations”. That strategy is a risky one on so many levels.
We had a rule with all our kids- they had to find something to love about each and every college we visited (or explored in depth online). It could be something trivial- the ice cream at the campus snack bar which allowed unlimited add-ons. Or it could be something meaningful- the college subsidized non-profit internships over the summer so that kids who needed the money wouldn’t be penalized for not working at JP Morgan or Google.
But it had to be something to love-- and we kept reminding the kids of that every time the upper lip quavered and the dialogue seemed to be going towards 'If I don’t get into X college maybe I shouldn’t go at all".
The trick is NOT to lower expectations. The trick is to recognize that you only attend one college at a time, and every college probably has something superior to another- if you only look for it.
Heck, one of my kids “safety schools” kept getting awards for its food. “Best vegan food options”. “Best college for kids with food allergies”. “Best salad bar in America”. “Best Sunday brunch”- even folks in town show up and pay at the door for the waffles. So if the kid is catastrophizing “Maybe I’ll only get into my safety school” you get to say “So you’ll eat your way through four years of college- is that so bad?” and everyone laughs.
Shift your thinking. She doesn’t need to lower her expectations- but she does need to learn about another dozen/15 colleges which will be affordable and easy admits for her-- and then find something to love!
Have you looked at URI?
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You don’t have to up the budget. The schools I sent will be even under budget.
I’m just saying- you can do even better!!!
You’ll have choices in the NE.
PS - so many kids - both of mine - voluntarily chose some of the least selective they got into.
It’s about what your kid does - not where they go.
My son went to I’d say, basically an unranked but well known (for merit) engineering school - and likely did as well job offer wise as if he went to his initial top choice which is highly ranked. In his case, he chose his college because in the Honors College, he got his own room and shared a bathroom.
My daughter chose Charleston over top public Honors programs and a top SLAC (W&L) - and yet, she’s started a club, interned for the state this past summer and is interning at a top think tank right now in the DC semester.
It’s about your daughter - not Lafayette vs. Millersville (which no one will have heard of either) - but both will have a contingent of kids like her and her field doesn’t require any pedigree, etc.
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I agree with the rural location, but W&L does have merit although since it is competitive I wouldn’t consider it a safety.
ETA: Just clarifying the merit piece for others reading this thread. I don’t think W&L meets this student’s preferences for location near a city.
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I agree that some of the SUNY schools should be on this list: Geneseo, New Paltz, Oneonta
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Yes - it does - the Johnson and some targeted - very targeted but very lucrative if you can score one (alas my kid couldn’t). I was thinking the deadline passed - but it’s Dec 1. Just looked. But they’re also not “traditional” merit…
Washington college on the eastern shore (Maryland) really excels at psychology. Super cute town attached (check out high street). Very diverse group of students, lots of artsy students. Lots of cool art opportunities for non majors as well!
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With respect to these preferences, this is what U.S. News had to say after visiting SUNY–Geneseo:
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Suny Geneseo has a cute little town. When we visited there was a lot of construction going on so I didn’t get a good feel of the campus, but I do think this is one that should be on the list.
While I think Lafayette and W&L can certainly be on the list, I do not see them as coming in at the right price point.
What about TCNJ?
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I was trying so hard not to throw St. Olaf out there considering the geographic desires, but it does tick all the boxes.
Washington College (Maryland) seems to have a similar student vibe.
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McDaniel in MD
St. Mary’s MD may work. It is public LAC.
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The poster is asking for safeties. None of these is a safety and some are reaches for almost any kid.
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Is Ithaca College unaffordable? It checks a lot of boxes, but its sticker price is over budget. I didn’t know what kind of aid you could expect.
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So if you stretch the definition of “Northeast”, you could consider the Canadian schools. Most are a lot less expensive than comparable US Schools. Be sure to factor in the exchange rate, which is very favorable to Americans right now.
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Seconding Clark, Wheaton MA, Suny Geneseo&New Paltz, StOlaf, Muhlenberg, Drew, UDel honors, Washington college. - some may be more likely/match than safety strictly speaking but all are a good bet for admission and merit.
If she likes Lafayette she may like Susquahanna (same vibe but less selective). UScranton is worth a visit (easy to arrange from Philly).
A bit further South, what about Roanoke?
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Washington College is in MD (unless there is one in DE too??)
Juniata is generous with merit. Small town is not super close to campus. Feels more rural than Dickinson.
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Here are some schools that fit your daughter’s list. We are on child #3 college admission process, the third one in the last 4 years so we’ve seen a ton of SLACs.
Drew University: Very pretty campus, backs up to a natural preserve and arboretum I think. Cute downtown with plenty of restaurants and shops a 10 minute walk from campus. Also has train line directly into Manhattan, I believe it is a 45-50 min ride. 15 minute drive to Short Hills Mall for any nearby shopping desire.
Mt Holyoke: If she is at all open to women’s colleges, beautiful campus and have all the advantages of the 5 college consortium. Also cute downtown with coffee shops and bookstore. They do offer merit aid, might be worth a look.
College of Wooster: located in a ‘micro city’, an hour or so south of Cleveland. Definitely very cute downtown walkable from campus with boba, coffee shops and bakeries as well as a big box shopping area north of town (not walkable but a very short car ride). Definite artsy feel on campus, I think they have their own art museum?
Ohio Wesleyan: Delaware, Ohio has the oldest, longest running movie theatre in Ohio. Nice campus, walkable to the downtown. About 30 minutes to downtown Columbus which has a pretty decent art scene.
Lake Forest College: I know this is somewhat outside your preferred location but it is a definite hidden gem as far as I am concerned. Gorgeous campus, about a mile from a town beach on Lake Michigan. Walkable to one of the cutest downtowns you can find, has small shops, great restaurants and a metro station that takes you directly into Chicago (about a 50 min ride). Has a couple of student theaters on campus, including a black box theater. Pretty easy access to/from O’hare airport.
SUNY New Paltz: One of the best towns we found when visiting schools. Adorable and had every cute thing you could think of. School well known for the arts, bigger than the other schools I listed above. Getting to Manhattan doable, but you are looking at a couple of hours travel time each way. Close to Marist, but better town for hanging out in.
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