Narrowing down college search

College Search & Selection
1

Hi guys,

I’m a student in Maryland trying to narrow down my college search. I came from another country last year and would appreciate specific info on location, weather, campus life etc. as well as recommendations of schools I could get a shot into.

Some schools on my list:
Barnard, Haverford, Davidson, Wesleyan, Swarthmore, Bates, Bryn Mawr, Reed, Georgetown, JHU. REALLY need info on how different these schools are from one another…
UMD (not a great fit, but good for price and location), Towson, George Mason, St. Johns (safety)

Here’s some info:

Financial: at most $15000 a year, need schools with generous aid
Major: probably Bio-health related, still deciding
School:
-Small to medium-sized
-LACs, Intellectual, quirky, creative etc. student body. No heavy Greek life or frat parties
-Moderately diverse, inclusive (not too preppy, exclusive etc.)
-Schools with good creative community is a bonus
Location: Northeastern, could extend a bit towards Midwestern or South but not too far away from home. Not too cold. Haven’t been outside MD much so not sure if I want to be in a small town or big city…

Stats: still a junior so not set yet. But here is my range:
ACT: 30-31 (working to improve to 32-33)
GPA: 3.8 - 3.9

Thank you!

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Barnard - The New York City sister-college of Columbia; postage stamp sized refuge in what is perhaps the greatest city in the world.

Haverford - Another small campus; often compared to its neighbor Swarthmore, perhaps, a bit more well-rounded; well-respected for its biology department

Davidson - Pleasant mix of Southern charm and Division I basketball. Steph Curry is perhaps its best known alumnus.

Wesleyan - Mercurial mix of high-caliber academics, creative arts and traditional New England setting.

Swarthmore - Generally considered more intense than Haverford; the epitome of a well-manicured, suburban campus

Bates - Similar to Wesleyan, but smaller. Substitute a small lake for the huge field in the middle of campus and you’ve got the picture.

Bryn Mawr - similar to Swarthmore, but, all women (and all that may impy)

Reed - Very intense, very intellectual. Not everyone completes all four years.

Georgetown - Traditional university with a smidgen of Catholic influence; some famous alum, including Bill Clinton; not everyone likes the campus.

JHU - nicer campus than Georgetown. Reputation for cut-throat pre-meds and high caliber literature program. Also known for its lacrosse team.