Match Me: Liberal Arts in midsize town, good merit, mild seasons [Psychology major; 3.94 UW, CA resident]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Trying to help my daughter find good safety/mid-reach schools that offer a lot of merit (we have plenty of financially-a-reach schools on the list)

Demographics

Student will graduate with an IB diploma from a US high school (not international)

They just received a national award for their leadership role in a high school program, strongly demonstrated leadership and community service. Very strong letters of recommendation from community leaders who have known child for all four years of high school.

No sports

Budget (where this gets difficult): $30K, will not be only child in college

Intended Major(s) psychology

In top 10% of class with a 4.7 gpa, IB, honors and AP courses

Did not take SAT/ACT as the UCs do not require it

List your HS coursework

(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)

  • English: AP, IB
  • Math: Honors Calc, college statistics
  • Science: IB level
  • History and social studies: IB level
  • Language other than English: Passed AP Spanish test, in IB Spanish
  • Visual or performing arts: Honors classes in performing arts (music)
  • Other academic courses: All IB, AP, honors or college-level courses starting junior year

Awards - National award (do not want to name as they are the only recent recipient)

Multiple school awards for outstanding in class and top student in two different subjects, selected to represent school at a state program and a national program

Extracurriculars
Selected for two-year state-funded internship in field of interest

Essays/LORs/Other

Very strong writer

Schools
This is where we are struggling. Student is interested in UCs and will be applying to several. But after visiting a few SLACs, I’d say their best fit would be an affordable (thanks to merit scholarships, if such a thing exists) SLAC with small class sizes in a walkable, midsize town with close internship opportunities, four seasons or mild seasons. They would be most comfortable in a non-conservative environment. We’re willing to look anywhere in the US as we have family from coast to coast.

Any suggestions?? Thank you in advance.

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State of residency?

Unweighted GPA?

GPAs as recalculated for UC, since they are listed as being of interest?

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Colleges and Universities that Love IB Students

I believe this is a 2017 PDF document so you will need to do some research to confirm the accuracy.

Your daughter should definitely apply to several UCs, including Berkeley & Los Angeles which typically award generous credit for HL exams & not SL exams. Depending on how much credit she earns, she could graduate a semester or two early.

Writer’s Guide: Psychology by L.A. Bond & A.S. Magistrale (©1987). A valuable reference guide for writing about psychology.

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image409×601 79.9 KB

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IB credits | UC Admissions describes IB credit at UCs.

Looks like 8 quarter units per HL exam with score of 5-7, plus an additional 6 quarter units for IBDP with total score of 30 or higher. That comes out to be about two quarters of credit (2/3 of an academic year).

However, the value of subject credit applying to degree requirements varies.

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CallieS’s daughter has also passed a few AP exams, including Spanish, which could potentially lead to more credit or placement.

CallieS will need to evaluate AP/IB credit policies at each target school when computing overall out-of-pocket cost. For example, her daughter may need to spend 4 full years at College A, only 3 1/2 years at College B, or just 3 years at College C, especially if she has plans to go on to graduate school (e.g. master’s or PhD degree in psychology).

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Can you clarify a few things?

  • Is your daughter currently a junior or a senior?
  • Please share her unweighted GPA. If she is a junior, you probably can’t calculate it yet, but you should have an idea. Go to UC GPA Calculator and let us know her UC GPAs.
  • You mention internship opportunities. What is she looking to do with a psych degree?
  • Would she consider Cal Poly SLO?
  • Have you looked at WUE schools?
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So your student is a US Citizen - I ask because you said a US high school, which makes me wonder if maybe international?

Of course, we need an unweighted GPA because we don’t know the weighting system.

So each A gets a 4, each B = 3, each C = 2.

Add the points and divide by # of classes.

Leave off PE.

Unfortunately, UCs aren’t necessarily $30K and not having an SAT/ACT hurts you with merit. I wish CA schools would publicize that more.

I would look at schools - but $30K will be tough without need - given your liberal state, small town - but note some liberal states have right leaning pockets on the outside (usually not colleges). There may have to be tradeoffs. I’m going with the S in SLAC as small, not selective. But note most LACs are far less selective than you think - because their international acceptance rates are low as they are often seeking full pay. Thus the US rate is much higher. For example, Carleton seems really selective and is but its US rate is 38%, even though total rate half - because of the large international applicant count that has a very low acceptance rate.

Here’s a list - note many will be regional in population, especially the publics. You’ll have to research the “area” - and weather means different things to different people. Some will find Maine cold; others won’t. But when you have budget needs, not saying all these get to $30K or meet your other needs, but I think these are aggressive names overall.

Right now, schools need revenue; butts in seat - so in many ways, the consumer is in the driver’s seat.

Agnes Scott (women only but can take classes at Emory/Ga Tech, if can get to) - def in a town.

Allegheny -

Beloit

Centre - KY right leaning but a Dem Governor and biggest city mayor

Connecticut

Dickinson - in a town

E Connecticut State U - I don’t see out of state merit on their page but guessing they offer. Full COA is about $34K.

Hartwick - has flat out lowered tuition vs. sky high and big merit and has some merit. May be a bit over budget but…

Hobart & William Smith

K - Kalamazoo - in a small city, near a large U

Maine at Farmington - shows $38K with between $5-8K merit.

Mass College of Liberal Arts (you can take classes at Williams) - their COA sheet is down for some reason but I believe in the past, I’ve seen $30K with merit - not sure how they qualify it.

U Minn at Morris

Ogelthorpe - in wealthy part of Atlanta, part of the same Agnes Scott Consortium. They can match in state tuition (UCB) but you need an SAT. Still, worth a shot.

St. Marys of Maryland (public) - $49,579 is the direct costs and $18K in aid although doesn’t have a table to show how to get $18K. Sometimes these include SAT.

Susquehanna

Truman State - once you have an UW GPA - if at least 3.5. It’s in Missouri, so maybe it’s a no go. Great rep.

Washington (MD)

Wheaton (MA)

Whitman in WA - don’t know your income but they claim tuition would be capped at 10% of income - so if it’s $120K or less, you probably hit $30K. In small city.

Wooster - Ohio is purple. I know a very liberal Vandy prof who sent his there. Near town.

Also, it’s free SUNY app week (through Nov 2nd) - Geneseo is the LAC but from Brockport to New Paltz and more, they have small schools. It’s worth the free app to get a cost.

Salisbury at MD looks like merit isn’t great because of no test score but it might be worth an app as might TCNJ. They are a “bit” larger than LAC.

For much larger, UNM - not huge - and a great cost.

Then there’s WUE - which gives you access to schools in the West - so in addition to many Cal States that will hit your cost, you might look at the following who will hit $30K full pay with WUE

Colorado - Adams State and Ft. Lewis College, W Colorado (that might go over)

Oregon - W, E, So Oregon U - all 3 will be close

Washington - WWU is more mid size - but a great bargain in a beautiful city.

Hope that helps.

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However, UCs do not give double credit if an AP and IB score represent mostly the same material. For example, AP and IB HL Spanish scores are unlikely to get full credit for both – the most likely result is getting credit for whichever one results in higher placement.

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I’m not sure how to edit my own post

California

3.94 unweighted GPA

Will have to ask about the UC GPA. They have only had one single B for one semester in an honors class.

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Thank you so much! We will look into these.

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Thank you, that IB list gave us some good leads!

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Hello! I would also add Lake Forest College and Illinois Wesleyan to your list. Both give great merit, walkable to town and are great academic small liberal arts colleges. They both have a chart online showing merit awards. Grinnell college in Iowa also gives merit and walkable to town. Good luck!

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I would echo the recommendation of Kalamazoo. Lovely LAC with a cool curriculum, and they share the city of the same name with Western Michigan, which makes it pretty lively. Actually a life sciences hub too.

I’d also check out Hendrix. Arkansas can be a tough lift initially for some kids, but I have heard good things about Conway, and actually similar things to Kalamazoo. There are more colleges in Conway and it is apparently a lively, growing eds and meds sort of small city. Also not far from Little Rock.

My understanding is both of these sometimes give out big enough merit to get on your budget.

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Does she also have LORs from teachers who have had her as a student in classes. Most colleges want this type of LOR.

This is true, but a lot of other colleges are returning to test required. So…this could eliminate some options.

I’m not clear…Will your family qualify for need based aid? If so, there are some colleges that might be worth considering.

Is she open to women’s colleges? If so, and you qualify for need based aid…Wellesley.

What about Vassar? Maybe Marist? Connecticut College?

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Wagner College in Staten Island, NYC: Private LAC atmosphere (1900 students); suburban neighborhood within sight of the Manhattan skyline.
Wagner College Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)

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Willamette for sure should be on the list! LAC but with graduate degree options in some fields, generous merit aid (and I assume need based aid), Salem has its plusses and minuses but the campus is downtown, which is cute and walkable. Mild-ish climate. Great admins.

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Has anyone mentioned Dickinson? Carlisle is a cute, walkable town, and Harrisburg is not far away. They give good merit. I’m not sure it checks off your weather box – it’s got four seasons, to be sure, and “mild” is in the eye of the beholder (Pennsylvania is sure to be milder than New England or the Midwest). My S26 really liked it when he visited.

And if you don’t mind PA weather, check out Bryn Mawr: merit, close to a walkable town and (by train) a big city and the advantage of a consortium with Haverford and Swarthmore (the partnership is most active between Haverford and Bryn Mawr, with frequent bus service and some collaborative majors). I would suggest Haverford, but they don’t give merit, whereas Bryn Mawr does.

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Still time to take the SAT in Nov or Dec, see if her score would open up any more options.

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delete - wrong thread

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Thank you for the response. All the replies have been really helpful.

Yes, great letters of recommendation from teachers too

Open to women’s colleges

We will not qualify for financial aid. We felt like we were saving a lot but couldn’t keep up with the rising costs of colleges.