College list suggestions!

momrath
Thu, 10 May 2018 02:14:18 +0000

Just to clarify on financial aid to internationals:
As in US admissions, internationals may be eligible for two types of aid: need-based aid and merit scholarships. Most colleges offer need-based aid to internationals, though the amounts offered may not cover full demonstrated need.

Only a handful of schools are need-blind in admissions. The rest are need-aware, meaning that financial need is a factor in admissions. Though very few schools breakdown international admissions statistics, it is generally understood that the greater majority of admitted internationals did not apply for financial aid.

For example, Wesleyan (which shares international statistics) only admitted 4.6% of international applicants seeking aid. They did however admit 19.2% of international applicants who did not seek aid.
http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/informationfor/international.html

Merit scholarships are available for internationals but they are rare and in most cases highly competitive and hard to predict.

Internationals seeking need-based or merit aid do get admitted and do get aid, sometimes generous amounts; however, unlike US admissions it’s difficult for internationals to know what to expect financially.

@luvice, I would recommend Wesleyan, Mt. Holyoke, Grinnell, Macalester, Skidmore, Oberlin, Bryn Mawr.
as small liberal arts colleges that have some degree of cultural overlap with Smith and also enroll a comparatively high number of internationals.