<p>I agree with <em>almost</em> all the preceding posts. If liberal arts colleges are your preference, I wouldn’t sweat the particular department. Focus on fit and where you think you’ll be able to thrive inside and outside the classroom. Obviously, you don’t want to go someplace so isolated that there are no hospitals nearby where you can volunteer.</p>
<p>I would avoid applying ED anywhere, just in order to have more than one financial aid package to compare once the RD decisions are made. I disagree a little bit with the idea of avoiding all debt from undergrad. Compared with what you will rack up in medical school, a $20,000 stick after four years of undergrad is not that much. We’ll talk more after you get a few acceptances.</p>