<p>I am trying to narrow down my college search and right now am looking at Bowdoin, Claremont McKenna, Pomona, and Whitman. I have visited all of the schools and liked them all for different reasons.</p>
<p>Some facts about me: I am a white male from California looking to go pre-med or at least major in biology. I am looking to play baseball at whichever school I end up at. I got a 2310 SAT (790M, 720CR, 800W), and am ranked 3 out of 243 at my public high school, but have the hardest schedule possible. Another important factor for me will be the merit aid I get because my family income won't lend itself towards need based aid, but my family still can't dish out 50K per year.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me about some of the differences between these schools and which one may be the best fit for me (open to new any other suggestions as well).</p>
<p>Learn something new everyday, didn't ralize these schools offered merit aid, Pomona does not but CMC and Bowdoin do. With your stats and being a recruited athlete, you should get the best they have to offer but I don't know what that is. Whitman doesn't see many with your stats so may well offer you the most.</p>
<p>I looked at Bowdoin because I have family in Maine and love the state, as for Swarthmore and such, I was worried that I would not recieve any merit aid at schools like those. In terms of Universities, I am not good enough at baseball to play there and am looking for more of a LAC education</p>
<p>Since you like Maine, try Colby and Bates. I'd also suggest Grinnell, Vassar, and Oberlin. They all have strong science programs and might make a good offer to a male with your stats.</p>
<p>whitman has good merit aid, and you would probably qualify, it might not be as well known as the other schools you listed but is surprisingly competitive</p>
<p>Bowdoin has merit aid? That's news to me. My S was offered a "Faculty Scholar" award which was rather cool--basically, they say that you have $3K to use as you wish to expand your education, whether it be doing research, travelling, and internship, so start thinking about how you might want to use it now--but I thought they were need-only. Bowdoin is my favorite of the Maine schools, and you look like a legitimate candidate to me. If you like Bowdoin, I would suggest that you consider looking at Amherst, Williams, and Dartmouth. All of them are almost by definition reachy, but all are realistic reaches for you. Middlebury is another possibility.</p>
<p>Schools that are often suggested as easier admits for students attracted to Bowdoin and Dartmouth are Hamilton and Colgate. I have no idea what their FA situation is.</p>
<p>Pomona is very well-funded, and very generous to its students. You never know--they might give you some $$. And, of course, it would mean less in the way of travel costs.</p>
<p>These are all strong LACs, although Claremont is not particularly oriented towards sciences. You probably know that they have a "joint science department" with Scripps and Pitzer.</p>
<p>If Maine appeals to you, then Colby and Bates are obvious choices, as suggested above. </p>
<p>But I would also suggest some strong midwestern LACs. Californians have a reputation for provinciality in college choice: according to the stereotype, they typically prefer schools in California, will consider top schools in the northeast -- and won't consider other parts of the country at all. </p>
<p>Whitman is a good choice for that reason, but you should also look at even higher-rated schools like Carleton (one of top LACs for science) or Grinnell (one of the top LACs for sheer wealth, and for merit aid). These are among the best LACs in the US, but they can't get Californians to even apply. Californians are practically an under-represented minority as far as schools in Iowa or Minnesota are concerned, and this just might give you an edge in terms of admissions and aid.</p>
<p>Thank you, I would hate to continue that CA stereotype. I am actually leaning towards Whitman because I have been in contact with their baseball coaches and found the school the most comfortable out of those I have visited. Does anyone know how strong their biology and pre med programs are, though?</p>
<p>If you're likely to be pinched by the middle-income "too rich for aid, too poor to pay the full sticker price" conundrum,you should consider applying to Harvard, Yale and Princeton. With your SATs and grades you're viable, and they're the most affordable schools out there for middle-income need-based aid. Plus, for Division I programs, slots on their baseball rosters aren't all that competitive.</p>
