What caliber colleges should I be considering?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Cashto: I absolutely disagree with your advice not to look at financial aid. For a student who has a very low EFC, financial aid is the #1 criterion.(No public college in PA costs what Undeadtoaster and his/her family can afford to pay and borrow.) Running the Net Price Calculator as soon as one sees a college, before even exploring it further, is alas Undeadtoaster’s obligation - s/he simply can’t afford to spend time and money s/he doesn’t have applying to a bunch of colleges that will expect OP to pay $16,000 or such. (And yes, there are quite a few colleges that can see an EFC$3,000 yet expect $16,000; only the colleges listed above* meet 100% need. For the others, it’s the luck of the draw, typically if you’re in the top 10%, top 5%, top 25%…)
Then, fit - and all colleges that are similar.
Then only, as you say, majors, distance, etc.
And I agree that if there’s one school that undeadtoaster’s always wanted to attend, s/he should send an application “just to see”, keeping expectations very low (ie., forgetting about it…)</p>

<ul>
<li>We need numbered posts back!</li>
</ul>

22

<p>Yeah unless I am extremely intensely interested in a particular school, I don’t want to waste money applying or time researching if there’s not a good chance of getting the aid I need.</p>

<p>I agree I shouldn’t make scores a big factor right away, though I have been only considering colleges that offer most of the majors I am interested in.</p>

23

<p>If you have looked at Olin and RHIT, look at Harvey Mudd College, in Claremont, CA. They are a small private school offering physics and engineering. They are on the list (about the 8th post on p1) of schools that meet 100% of need.</p>