Merit scholarships, medium size schools, science major

<p>YMMV means “your mileage may vary.” </p>

<p>You really ought to look at that merit aid thread; it’s gold.</p>

<p>If you’re looking for STEM programs that are innovative and encouraging to women, look at the all-women schools (Mt. Holyoke I think is known for science, not sure about Smith; but merit at the levels you’re looking at are unlikely to be there). Case Western is known for good aid. You may also find that a school such as Rose-Hulman (dominantly male, to the tune of 80/20 male/female ratio) might be trying to lure more women. That’s in Indiana, so may not be geographically desirable. You may find that your D is highly desirable at some of the master’s-level schools (what U.S. News calls “regional universities”); these are good schools that are a little less selective but have a wide range of programs and may be willing to pay bucks for top students (I don’t know; worth checking out).</p>