<p>Just discovered CC and want to maximize our search in a short time. My D would like to be a research scientist and is looking for rigorous biological science programs at colleges likely to offer significant merit aid. She is NMS Commended, 2120 SAT, 31 ACT, 4.29 GPA, ranked top 2% of her class (No. 8 out of 725) in CA public. She was selected for an American Cancer Society biological research internship last summer (loved it) and is also a musician (flute, violin, piano). Please give advice about which colleges to target. Would Emory, WashU be likely to offer merit aid or should we look at somewhat less selective colleges with strong biology programs? (Suggestions welcome.) What about the women's colleges? All advice gratefully accepted.</p>
<p>I would suggest smith or holyoke as the two I know the most about
however I would say that all the womens colleges in the northeast have strong bio programs and I know that those schools (above)also have great merit aid.</p>
<p>Check the merit aid threads pinned to the top of Parents Forum. I don't think your D will get merit aid from Emory (unless she applies to their much less selective 2-year college Oxford College) or Wash U. However, she might get merit aid from Grinnell or places like Earlham. Brandeis is another possibility. </p>
<p>Check the back posts on the CC individual college boards for the colleges your D is considering because you can find examples of students who got and didn't get merit aid.</p>
<p>Best of luck to your D!</p>