<p>Well, it would be marvellous to know how else you gauge something so subjective as “happiest students” or “best internships.” And it is highly insulting to insinuate that I don’t “care enough” or “haven’t done my research”, etc. Rankings aren’t everything, but they are partially, at least, based on quantitative data as well as student surveys. I think it is splitting hairs to try to determine the difference in quality of a college ranked first, and another ranked tenth, but I think rankings can be helpful for making broad distinctions.</p>
<p>Current parent here, with Humanities/Social Science faculty spouse and myself a lawyer so --</p>
<p>For law school, what matters most is gpa and LSAT score. Going to a school where you can be top of the class maximizes chances of admission to T14 law school. So being small fish in a big pond does not help. Also, law school debt is crippling, it is largely all loans at T14 schools so, like med school, very important to go into law school with as little undergrad debt as possible. For that reason, merit aid at next tier of universities and LACs is important to pursue.</p>
<p>For top Ph.D admissions, letters of rec from respected researchers are central in your application (in my husband’s experience). Those are typically found at universities, not LACs. Your LAC prof might know you intimately, but if that prof is not known and respected by the profs on the admissions committee at your preferred university for Ph.D., then it counts less than the rec another student has who worked with a well-known scholar at a large school. </p>
<p>With your career goals in mind, I would suggest serious look at merit aid at schools outside the top 20, both LACs and universities. If you are leaning Ph.D., then a university, with the breadth of undergrad course options, is very important option to consider. </p>
<p>I agree that you should look at schools with merit aid as well. You mentioned that you are looking at schools from the perspective of a lower middle class student. Instead of just relying on the chance of getting into a top school that offers generous financial aid (whereas their acceptance rate may be <20% to begin with), having schools that you know will give you merit will guarantee you two things</p>
<p>1) You are at the top of the class, or near it, of the school you are applying to.
2) You are also sure that it is affordable for your family.</p>
<p>I think part of the reason some of the other people have become really worked up because of the thread is because your school list seem to be mostly just schools from the top of the rankings list, most highly selective schools that even the top students (valedictorians, 2400s) couldn’t guarantee admission to. You mentioned you had safeties and matches? Do you mind sharing them? I think given the wide variety of schools you are interested in, the next step is to narrow down that list to a realistic list of reaches, matches, and safeties that are appropriate for you</p>
<p>@shawnspencer:
Matches:
Macalester College
Grinnell College
Sewanee: University of the South
Safeties:
UW-Madison
Centre College
Earlham College
Do you know of any other schools that would offer good merit aid to someone with my stats? I’m particularly interested in ones with good political science/history departments and a student body interested in politics/activism. </p>
<p>Cicero, just wanted to compliment you on maintaining an even keel in this conversation, despite a bit of histrionics thrown back at you. Onward and upward! </p>