<p>I'm a female senior from a very small school in Iowa. I am looking for good LAC's in the Midwest because I like the Midwest and would like to find a college that doesn't require a plane ticket.<br>
I would also like a college that has diversity, an intelligent student body, and isn't too strict in their core requirements. I have a very Republican background, but I am leaning more towards liberal myself.<br>
My top choice so far is Carleton, but it is a reach. Others that I also like are Beloit, Knox, and Grinnell. I'm undecided about a major right now, but I am considering anthro/socio and english.<br>
Any dirt on the colleges that I am already considering or info on colleges that I haven't considered would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Clarinet (1st Chair)
Soccer (Defense MVP 9th grade)
Color Guard (Captain)
NHS
Quill & Scroll
Assist. Editor of school paper
Vice president of Sr. class
Sec/Treas of Jr. class
Library Committe
Volunteered for 2 blood drives
Will be volunteering at hospital
Academic Decathlon (highest scorer from my school)
TAG
Quiz/Knowledge Bowls</p>
<p>Great for English and anthropology, great support for women students, and great opportunities for student athletes. You sound like a perfect fit!</p>
<p>I was gonna give Carleton a plug here (I am a freshman there and love it!) But it seems you already have it as a top choice.</p>
<p>Other schools I looked at last year were Macalester, Kenyon, and Oberlin. All of those are great LAC in the midwest!! (though Carleton is the best)</p>
<p>Along with the others mentioned you can also look at Cornell College, Lake Forest College, Illinois College, Westminster-Mo. (one of my D's favorites), Ripon College, and Lawrence. Lots of very good schools to choose from within reasonable driving distance. My daughter liked Knox, Lake, Westminster,and Cornell a good bit. I preferred Grinnell, Cornell, Knox as I am more socially liberal than she is. I probably would have liked Carleton and Mac ,too.;) There are schools there to make safeties, matches, and reaches for you . Good luck.</p>
<p>You have a good mix of schools. If you are looking at Anthro and English, I know that you will be in good company at Beloit. It seems like half of the students major in either or both Anthro and English. I would guess that you would probably be in line for some merit $ as well, given your gpa.</p>
<p>I would say that Carleton, Grinnell and Beloit are probably more similar than different, politically speaking. Knox generally attracts a decidedly more conservative student. </p>
<p>Personally, I think that Cornell College and Kalamazoo College are under-rated and worth looking at more closely. Oberlin would be another school I would add to your list. Good luck and happy hunting.</p>
<p>Carleton, Grinnell, Lawrence, Oberlin, Kenyon and Beloit would be my suggestions. Knox has a terrific English deparment but Icemaker is right on the money saying that it attracts a decidely more conservative student. The same with Lake Forest. Earlham's English department is so-so, and focuses mostly on comparative literature, not any creative writing if that is what you are looking for. The other schools have more course offerings and options.</p>
<p>Just about all the Midwest LACs appropriate for your stats and interests are in these posts. But I would add Earlham and Colorado College to your master list. </p>
<p>Narrowing them down, I'd lean toward: Carleton (reach); Kenyon (match, and a bit of a drive) and Beloit (likely admit, and a very good choice for you.)</p>
<p>S and I visited Denison in late August. S will be applying. Despite visiting during a torrential downpour (often a killer in prior college tours), S liked Denison a lot. The students we encountered were very friendly and welcoming. One young woman left the shelter of the biulding where we ran into her, asked if we needed help, and walked us all the way to admissions in the pouring rain. Our tour guide did a nice job of drawing out S and the other young man on the tour by engaging them with questions (in a non-threatening way). He was a senior from the Boston area who had just spent the summer doing research in a hospital in New Orleans (barely got out in time). The facilities were up to date and well kept. It is one of the more atractive campuses we visited. It is in a small town but a hop, skip and a jump from Columbus and the most awesome HUGE shopping mall/restaurant area that I have ever seen (not that this should influence college decision making-just to point out that Dension is not as much in "the sticks" as I had first feared).</p>
<p>I looked a lot into Lawrence and it seems like an awesome school. Also, Macalester seems really good also. Do some research and see if you like them. :)</p>
<p>Kzoo, Oberlin and Coll. of Wooster (this is a really good, underrated school)</p>
<p>... and don't forget, for public school prices, Michigan State U's James Madison college is a rigorous, self-contained totally self residential college with all the LAC perks in a major state/research school setting.</p>
<p>Konstantine:
I would second the Denison recommendation. My son is a freshman there and is very happy with it. He plays trumpet and is in both the jazz band and the orchestra. They also have a great community wind ensemble called the Heisey Wind Ensemble. He'll audition for that eventually but right now he has enough on his plate. The campus is really really pretty and there is very much a personal feeling to the place. Oh, and did I mention that they offer excellent scholarships? :)</p>
<p>Too bad you were there in the rain! Denison has a really pretty campus. If your son has any questions, or wants a contact, my son is a freshman there and is very happy. Feel free to private message me.</p>
<p>Macalester is a really good school, and the neighborhood in which it's located is really cool.
I spent the summer there before my junior year, and I had a great time.</p>