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5boys, Before you go any further I thinks its important to clarify your position on financial aid: what you absolutely need and what you’d like. Many of the East Coast LACs are quite generous in NEED based aid, but don’t offer any MERIT aid. Thus, if you can get by with need based aid alone they can stay on the list. If you’re not sure use one of those aid calculators to give you an idea of what to expect. It’s not guaranteed and mileage varies from school to school but at least you can see what’s feasible.
My son shared many of your son’s characteristics: intellectually curious across a wide range of disciplines, artistic and involved in outdoorsy activities at the Eagle Scout level of activity. Laid back on the surface but actually quite serious and intense at the core.
Some East Coast schools that I’d recommend: Williams (my son’s alma mater), Hamilton, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Kenyon
All of these schools look at the applicant holistically: Grades/Scores/Rank/ECs/Essays/Recommendations. If one is weak (but not too weak, of course) the others can compensate.
Since Williams is the one I’m the most familiar with I’ll comment further. It’s highly selective but also puts a lot of emphasis on admitted kids who fit the Williams profile. Williamstown is a small village located in the middle of spectacular mountain scenery. It offers multitudes of outdoorsy activities – hiking, climbing, backpacking and a whole assortment of winter sports. The campus outing club is one of the best in the country.
In spite of it’s athletic focus Williams also has a highly developed arts culture – an excellent theater program that draws on the long established Williamstown summer stock theater, excellent music and world class museums.
The academics are top notch. Williams IS very rigorous but there are excellent support systems among professors and peers to help kids through. The retention level is superb meaning that if they accept you they want to keep you.
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