Ivy League vs. Liberal Arts

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The first and foremost determining factor would be which schools actually accept you. The second would be whether or not the financials work for you. As an international who needs financial aid, you should apply widely and defer the analysis until you have a realistic set of options.</p>

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Ask your parents to use an on-line calculator to determine how much need based aid you would be eligible for. This would be the maximum, and as an international you may or may not get that much. If that works for you, then apply to schools that have need based aid. If you are accepted, the school will do its best to find the money for you (within the confines of your estimated family contribution, EFC). But first you have to get accepted.</p>

<p>If the EFC doesn’t work for you then you need to look at schools that are merit aid based which is a completely different list.</p>

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Williams and other similar schools have a long list of approved programs – all over the world. They don’t administer the programs, but they allow their students to attend, give credit and continue financial aid. Most LACs also have their own study abroad program, sometimes open to other colleges, sometimes not. For example, Williams’ is at Oxford.
[Approved</a> Foreign Study Programs | Dean of the College](<a href=“http://dean.williams.edu/?page_id=815]Approved”>http://dean.williams.edu/?page_id=815)</p>