Geneseo is considered to be one of the top SUNY schools, and it has a more LAC feel compared to the other SUNYs(Bing, Stony Brook etc.). I believe out of state tuition is also very cheap there, compared to some other colleges.
OP, in addition to all of the other excellent schools that have been suggested (especially in the Pac NW I love Willamette, Puget sound, Western Washington) I have a few more…
For targets perhaps check out Whitman and Lewis and Clark. You’d have to read the specific school threads to see stats of students who received merit aid. But certainly possible to secure.
For a safety consider Westminster College in Salt Lake City where you would get excellent merit aid. It is in an upscale neighborhood/suburb of Salt Lake, very close to the city, and is not by any means a religious school in any way. Liberal leaning student body for sure.
If you liked Bard, you might want to check out the New College of Florida in Sarasota. It’s a public honors LAC, very quirky/alternative, and has a lot of opportunities for independent research. If admitted, you’d get an automatic $15k scholarship, bringing down the cost of attendance to about $25k.
I know Willamette’s been mentioned a few times, but no-one’s mentioned that they have a 3/3 law school program that allows you to get your bachelor’s and jd in 6 years instead of 7. If you add up the savings of not paying for a 7th year of school and the extra earnings from being able to enter the job market 1 year early, this has a sizeable financial benefit. And if you’re a debater, they offer a debate scholarship.
Also, as has already been mentioned, Willamette is across the street from the Oregon Capitol, so it is very popular with poli sci majors due to all the internship opportunities.
I should disclose that my D will be a freshman at Willamette.
Finally, I think it’s great that you’re not impressed by prestige schools. However, the rigor and reputation of your undergrad school is definitely something that law school admissions committees look at. This doesn’t mean you have to go to an Ivy, but it does mean that going to a school like Fort Lewis or Evergreen State could hurt your chances.