Amherst alum here (many years ago), I wouldn’t recommend spending your ED there. It’s truly so competitive with so many incredibly strong applicants, and like all the LACs I suspect, ED acceptances seem to be focused on athletes and other hooked students. (It is shocking to me the % of the class nowadays is athletes.) I was just on campus for reunion (and participated on the reunion committee), heard the newish president address the alumni society, and feel I have a relatively good sense of the vibe. Amherst is cutting costs just like everywhere else despite its enormous resources and my guess would be this will be reflected in their EFC calcs especially for int’l students (weak dollar). Anyway, as much as I like the school, it wasn’t and isn’t perfect period, and I don’t see it as a strong match for you, unfortunately. I endorse some of the suggestions for strong regionals (eg Western Mich, Michigan State), but in all your US picks I hope you are considering weather and culture. I think it may have been a very tough adjustment on both counts, for the int’l students I knew at Amherst. Good luck! I know you have a bright future at college and beyond.
It’s a great point on Amherst - which admitted 92 of 6146 applicants.
The other thing to look at is - your budget is $35K - but will the school say it’s $35K?
@NiceUnparticularMan had a great point b4 - Bard is looking for revenue, hence they give a formal at least amount.
Schools I mentioned upthread either assuredly make budget or have in the past for a family a few years ago.
@anotherbayareamom - W MIchigan - great suggestion - just over budget but up to $10K merit which would put it comfortably under. International just pays an extra $100.
And Michigan has Central, Northern, Eastern and Tech plus Grand Valley and others - so there’s potentially other schools to hit too - in Michigan alone.
My suggestion to anyone applying to Tulane would be not to bother unless you intend to do EA. The acceptance rate for RD is low single digits. You have until 11/10 if that’s an option for you. I would also run their Net Price Calculator to see if it will come in close to your EFC. If you DID get in RD, I would not expect non need based merit.