Rhodes College
3.Bates
4.BYU
5.OSU
This might seem like an odd list. I want to go to a liberal arts college but my parents want me to go to a state school because they beleive we will not be able to afford a liberal arts education. I have heard Williams and Vassar are generous with financial aid. Will I be able to afford these places? Without too much debt that is.</p>
<p>Also I’m not sure of my admisions chances at these places since some of them are not test optional. I have a 26 ACT and a 4.0 GPA. I’m not going to put my essays up here because I’m mostly confident with them and I know Im a good fit wth these schools from the synergy I felt while visiting some of the campuses(Especially Bates). I’m from Oklahoma( underrepresented) Just for background information I’m a flute player and enjoy outdoor activites and like to read. More of the quiet introspective type . I go to a preforming arts high school. I want to study Art History preferably with a museum track. I’m also interested in psychology/nueroscience and relating that to our stimulation from art.</p>
<p>I don’t think an ACT 26 would get into Williams. Vassar would also be a big reach.</p>
<p>sounds like you need a new list.</p>
<p>Have your parents run the NPCs on these schools’ sites? Maybe they feel that the aid wouldn’t be enough? Schools that give great aid still may expect parents to pay more than they can.</p>
<p>Williams does give super-aid, but admissions is super-competitive and unlikely.</p>
<p>Have you run the Net Price Calculator on each college?
If not, do so. To find the NPC, type “Net Price Calculator” and “Nameof College”.
LACs can have excellent financial aid, and reward students applying from 400+ miles away, but while it’s true Williams has super-aid, as Mom2K said, I doubt your 26 is competitive unless you have some serious hook. Are you retaking (or have you retaken) the ACT?
What State are you from? What classes are you taking as a senior?</p>
<p>I agree, the first thing you need to do is run the Net price calculators with your parents. If your family’s income is lower, you may be surprised at how much grant aid you will get from “meets full need” schools (like Bates and Vassar.)</p>
<p>Second, are you male of female? If female, there are some meets-full-need schools (ie very generous with need-based financial aid) that are a bit easier to get into because they are women’s colleges (but are otherwise comparable in level of student GPA/scores to schools like Vassar and Bates that you like… and have a similar vibe.) They might be good to run the NPCs on and add to your list. Given what you said above, I’d specifically look at Mount Holyoke and Smith.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’d be a good match for Bates. Strong GPA, don’t need to submit weak SAT’s, underrepresented state (particularly at a school like Bates that draws heavily from the NE), like the outdoors. I would definitely keep it on your list.</p>