<p>I think you have very realistic expectations for college and possible merit aid, and an excellent set of match schools – and you are probably quite likely to get some merit money from Goucher. I wish I could give you some information based on experience, as I thought Goucher might be a good match/safety for my daughter – but she didn’t like the college after visiting because … wait for it … the campus had “too many trees.” Needless to say, we didn’t bother with a visit to Lewis & Clark… and my daughter was safely ensconced for 4 years at a college with an abundance of concrete, and sparsely arranged greenery. But if you don’t mind the risk of an occasional leaf falling on your head, I think it might be an excellent choice for you. </p>
<p>One nice thing about Goucher is that they strongly encourage study abroad, and I believe that they are one campus where you can study abroad without paying full tuition to the home campus.</p>