Help my junior make a list: small class size, good STEM (CS/math/bio) and research opportunities, blue states, <$40K with need-based aid

I would recommend taking the calc BC test this spring if she can, as many colleges will use that for math placement — even if she has already advanced beyond that in actual math classes.

Edited to say that if the advanced mathematics classes are DE then what I wrote above is likely not an issue. My son ran into problems because all his advanced math classes were not DE but were taught at his high school.