Sarah Lawrence tends to be very expensive 
(they don’t meet need at all).
I was hesitant with SLC, but its site says its average financial aid package exceeds $38,000. This still might leave a sizable expense, but maybe not in all cases.
Great schools for liberal arts with stellar theatre programs:
Meets need and need-blind: Vassar
Meets need but not need-blind: Wesleyan, Skidmore, Connecticut College
Merit aid possibility: Muhlenberg
I do not
Thank you! One of my teachers recommended Muhlenberg.
Please check out Denison in Ohio. Very good theater program (Jennifer Garner, Steve Carell, Hal Holbrook, etc.), fantastic new Eisner Center and meets need.
When looking at schools also make sure they have a student run theater choice. Many kids join those when not part of the bigger plays going on. Lots of the student run productions are very good. Plus just extra experience.
Doing a BFA is a huge commitment. Many drop out or change to BA programs if they can. See if going to a college that has theater that you can join vs a concrete program just for theater makes sense for you. Most programs with strict BFA are very competitive and you might tend to get type cast for type.
As stated Sarah Lawrence is like one of the most expensive colleges out there. You seem to be in line for academic merit with your scores vs performance merit or both. I know Lacs like Knox college stack those merits.
Profile schools will need your step-mom’s financials. No, they don’t expect her to contribute to your college funds, BUT they do expect her earnings contribute to your dad’s household expenses, thereby freeing up more of his income to contribute to your college expenses.
Make sure your mom is including the child support paid by your dad as unearned income on both the FAFSA and Profile.
Lots of good school suggestions so far, I will add Allegheny which only offers a BA in Theater, but does stack aid. And although the NPCs don’t reflect it, many of the schools mentioned that do not meet full need on average, do meet full need for the students they want the most.
Good luck.
Based on what you have posted, it seems you will be a strong candidate for admission to highly selective schools. With this amazing opportunity available, I recommend you consider, along with strength in theatre, a range of aspects that could be important to you in a college. For example, do you have other specific academic (or extracurricular) interests that you would like to pursue?
Also, what is your plan post college? As most people don’t end up earning big bucks doing musical theater, it is prudent to consider how you will support yourself.
First, you are a very successful student and congrats on all your hard work in HS so far. You are doing everything right by paying close attention to the finances and strategically choosing colleges.
You mention biliteracy – are you Latinx by chance? That could be helpful for some LACs who recruit students of color.
Run the NPC for Davidson and Hamilton. Davidson is a no-loan school, which means they will add to your need aid package.
Lewis and Clark comes to mind – you may get merit aid there.
Please keep us posted on your journey; I’m excited for you!
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In general, those are two different sets of colleges.
About ~30 LACs claim to meet full need. Most of them are very selective. Many (if not all) expect to consider your father’s (and possibly your step-mother’s) income. Many of these schools offer little or no merit money.
https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx
Some less selective LACs that do not claim to meet full need do offer merit awards in amounts (or number of recipients) that exceed what the “full need” schools offer. Even so, they seem to top out at about $25K/year in many cases. If the sticker COA is $70K, that still leaves you with an EFC that is way over budget.
So, your strategy may need to include some in-state public safety schools with total COA below $15K. That may mean including one or two that are within commuting distance from home. Not saying you can’t get lucky with merit from a LAC like Allegheny, or with very generous N-B aid from a place like Pomona. But unless you are a big risk-taker, don’t completely count on it.
What is your NPC is you include your stepmother’s and NCP dad’s financials? I think so many of the recs you are getting on this list will require the profile.