<p>We have a list of 68 colleges but would love REAL PEOPLE advice . . . </p>
<p>Our daughter has a heavy AP/honors schedule but mediocre GPA (3.4ish) and ACT (28) -- math numbers are very good, however. </p>
<p>She is looking for a very small college (1000 or less), in or near a city, with liberal students/faculty and an emphasis on relationships/support. She is considering undergrad psychology as prep for art therapy grad school or may be interested in teaching HS math.</p>
<p>We cannot spend $50,000 a year . . .</p>
<p>THANK YOU!!</p>
<p>What state are you from? Have you done the FAFSA 4caster to see what your EFC is?</p>
<p>Is that her weighted GPA?</p>
<p>How much can you afford to pay?</p>
<p>What is your home state?</p>
<p>Is she planning to take the ACT & SAT again?</p>
<p>Erin’s Dad is right, you need to find out what your EFC is
<a href=“http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml[/url]”>http://www.finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate.phtml</a></p>
<p>The above will likely be the minimum expected to pay - often you have to pay more.</p>
<p>I know that there is often a lot of hoopla associated with financial aid, but in reality, your EFC and how much you can contribute will have a heavy influence on where your D can go.</p>
<p>We are from the Louisville, KY area and yes, I have done the FAFSA 4caster – like everyone else what THEY say we can afford and what is realistic are very different! </p>
<p>She will take the ACT again and has a shot at improving her GPA, too.</p>
<p>We are snowed in so she has been researching - very interested in Guilford, Hendrix, Southwestern U.</p>
<p>Thanks again for insight – this is my first teen :)</p>
<p>*We are from the Louisville, KY area and yes, I have done the FAFSA 4caster – like everyone else what THEY say we can afford and what is realistic are very different! *</p>
<p>Then you may need to consider some big merit schools. Small merit scholarships won’t reduce your expected costs. For a scholarship to reduce your expected costs, the scholarship must exceed any determined “need.”</p>
<p>Most of the liberal arts colleges in your daughter’s sweet spot (the US News #25-75 or so) will run about $30K-$40K. Some offer merit scholarships but realistically, what she’d get would probably be around $5K unless she applies to less selective schools. </p>
<p>For a good lower cost liberal arts college (in the twenties for out of state), check out SUNY Geneseo. St. Mary’s College of MD is another good public LAC but is more expensive (~$35K for OOS).</p>
<p>You may have to relax your size and location criteria. Many good LACs have over 1000 students and are not located in urban areas.</p>
<p>Guilford or Hendrix should be at the lower end of your daughter’s admission target zone (“match” schools). Also consider Earlham, Centre College, and Goucher. For a reach (in both admissions and cost), consider Macalester College, which is in a city and has an interesting Math department.</p>
<p>You have not stated how much lower than $50K you need or want to go, but since you’re considering Hendrix and Guilford, I’m mentioning LACs in about the $25K-$45K range. If you need to go lower, you need to look at a different kind of school.</p>