<p>Can anybody help me decide between these colleges? I know a few of these have been discussed in older threads, but specifically I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with the financial aid (including merit aid) with these schools, because cost is going to be the big factor in deciding where I go.</p>
<p>Me: 32 ACT, 3.8 GPA unweighted, average middle class income, WA resident</p>
<p>Schools:
Willamette
Lewis and Clark
University of Puget Sound
Pacific University
Whitman</p>
<p>Feel free to point out any schools that are similar to those, as I'm always scared I overlooked some schools in the shuffle. I'm not just limited to west coast schools, but I'd need a good reason to go far away.
Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>My D looked at many of the schools on the list and chose Whitman (probably the hardest to get into of those you name). She is loving it. However, it is far from any big metro areas, so be sure you are ready for that. </p>
<p>She had similar stats to the ones you list and got a decent merit aid offer…I think 13k or so is the highest of the normal aid packages they offer. She got similar merit aid offers from Willamette and Lewis and Clark. You might get a little need-based aid depending on what you mean by “middle class.” We got a little due to having another kid in college (but a Community College, so the amount was not huge). Overall, however, we are paying just a little bit more than it would have cost to send her to UCLA or Berkeley (we are from Cal). Hope that helps.</p>