Strong LACs w Merit Scholarships?

[Katja]

My DD really wants to go to a great LAC, & she thinks that there are many great LACs that she'd be happy at so she's quite open as to where she attends.

Most of the highly ranked LACs that we've looked at are only need-based, & we likely won't qualify. If possible, she'd love to go to a great LAC that also has merit scholarships. We'd welcome any of your ideas about great LACs that have merit scholarships (more than the $2,000 NMF scholarship).

A "great LAC" for her would have good academics, small classes (less than 20), & be in the midwest, mid-atlantic, or NE.

She's a junior, will be a NMF, & her SATs are 700 M, 800 CR, & 780 CW. She's ranked at the top of her class. She loves community service & developed a cool program with children, which is probably the only thing that might set her apart from all of the other very bright NMF finalists with good SATs & top grades .

She loves LACs with academic & social communities like Williams, Bowdoin, etc. She doesn't need a prestigious school, doesn't need urban, just a solid school where she would thrive socially & intellectually.

Thanks for any help you can give us.

Kat

[jsmom]

A friend's daughter got a very good scholarship package and Muhlenberg and just loves it there. Their site states:
Entering freshmen are eligible for Merit Scholarships in amounts ranging up to $13,500 per year. In addition, the three honors programs, Muhlenberg Scholars, Dana Associates and RJ Fellows, each carry awards of $4,000. Performing and fine arts talent grants ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 are awarded on the basis of an audition or submitted portfolio, and are available in Theatre and Dance, Music, and Studio Art.

[MADad]

Colgate, a "need-based aid only" offered DD a better fin. aid package than several schools who offer both need-and-merit-based. So unless your family income is very high, don't necessarily eliminate the need-based-only schools.

[jmmom]

The expert on this subject is curmudgeon. Try to search for his posts on merit aid. His D did look at a lot of Southern schools, but also other regions.

One of his guiding principals, to maximize merit aid, is the "reverse commute." IE, a student will increase potential merit aid by bringing some geographic diversity to the table.

So, if you are in the NE, maybe emphasize midwest a little more and vice versa.

[Katja]

Thanks JSMom for the Muhlenberg idea. We'll look it up right now. And MADad, that's helpful, too, since I know that we won't necessarily not qualify---I just don't want us to only look at the need-based schools & find ourselves in a quandry. So, she'll apply to the need-based only schools that she ends up loving, but we're also hoping to find some schools that she might love that offer merit money, too. Appreciate both of your comments---Thanks.

[teriwtt]

jsmom beat me to it with Muhlenberg. If you'd like to know more about the merit scholarships that listed in the post, please feel free to PM or e-mail me. My daughter is there as a freshman on three talent/merit scholarships.

[mythmom]

bethie's son received merit aid at Grinnell, an excellent school. Curm's daughter is at Rhodes and also received even more merit aid. Smith has some merit aid.

I'm sure there are many others. These are just the ones I can access off-hand.

[Katja]

P.S. I noticed that Muhlenberg is a Lutheran college. Do you happen to know if it's strong academically & if the students are relatively moderate & middle-of-the-road (vs. conservative)? Any idea how it might compare to St. Olaf in Minnesota? Just in case you might know..... Thanks again!.

[jazzymom]

Second for Grinnell. Also Denison, which was very generous to a friend's daughter. She also got merit aid from Kenyon.

[jmmom]

Here are three threads started by curmudgeon on the topic of LAC's, unis and merit aid. The threads are a bit old, but I believe there is still likely excellent information within them:

USNews Top 100 Liberal Arts College - Merit v. Need Only

Another sleeper list of LAC's w/ Merit

USNews Top 100 Doctoral Colleges - Merit v. Need Only

[daffymom]

Lafayette offers some nice merit aid - Marquis is 16K and includes $ for year abroad.
Lafayette College - Financial Aid

Dickinson is another great LAC with merit aid. If your daughter is receptive to a Catholic school, check out St. Michael's in Colchester, VT.

[teriwtt]

Muhlenberg's student population is 30% Jewish, 30% Roman Catholic, and 30% non-denominational, with the remaining 10% other. I think there are students on both sides of the political leaning; the two most popular majors are pre-med and theatre, so within the theatre kids, they get pretty liberal. My D was a NMF, had top notch ACTs, SAT, rankings, ECs, and finds that most of her friends there are pretty internally driven when it comes to academics.

[pesto]

If your D would consider an all-women's school, she sounds like a promising candidate for one of Smith's merit scholarships:

"Dora Windes Zollman Scholarships
The college's highest academic scholarships are awarded to fewer than ten first-year students based on their exceptional promise for Smith. The scholarship is equal to half the cost of tuition. Zollman Scholars are also invited to participate in the STRIDE paid research program. (First-year U.S. citizens)

STRIDE Scholarships
The STRIDE program offers students with outstanding academic and personal qualifications a close working relationship with a faculty member during their first two years at Smith College. This scholarship of $5000 per year for four years is awarded to approximately 35-40 students per year. In addition to the scholarship, students are also given an annual stipend of $1700 per year for two years that is linked to research with faculty members. (First-year U.S. citizens)"

Smith also has the Mary Maples Dunn scholarship -- $3,000 a year -- for students who offer some quality that the school thinks would contribute to campus life. I don't know how many students are offered the MMD, but I think your daughter might have a good shot at one. Her program for children might be very attractive to the college (they have a small but very passionate education department) and her test scores are on the high side for Smith.

Northampton is a lively small city, and Smith is part of the 5-college consortium, offering the possibility of courses and activities at Amherst, Hampshire, U. Mass., and Mt. Holyoke.

Good luck to her!

[Katja]

Thanks Teriwtt & mythmom.

Very cool that you, Teriwtt, were also going to mention Muhlenberg.

And mythmom, thanks for thinking of Grinnell & Rhodes. Grinnell sounds like a great school, & I just found that Grinnell offers some Trustee Scholarships with a max of $15,000 per year. That would be very helpful . Do you have any idea of the stats of students who get the Trustee Scholarship?

I don't know Rhodes at all, but will go look into that school, too.

Appreciate your help very much!

[mythmom]

I bet the sites have this info. I can't believe that the stats are higher than your daughter's because hers are excellent. You might PM bethievt on Grinnell. She has made me wish my S had looked at it! though he is very happy at Williams.

I believe Curm's daughter got a full-ride at Rhodes though that might be wrong. It's an appealing school also.

I think your flexible DD will have wonderful options.