PreLaw student interested in match schools

chanthor
Tue, 07 Jul 2020 21:51:54 +0000

We moved from NJ to SC the summer before DD21’s junior year. Given our new geography and finances we are targeting schools in the southeast. We are a middle class family that don’t expect to receive much financial aid. However, to make her top schools work we would have to chase merit. DD should auto qualify for some merit scholarships at Clemson, USC and CoCharleston, so we expect COA to be max of $20K/yr at these schools. We would like to keep parent contribution to no more that $20k/year at wherever school she does land. Her sweet spot is mid-sized (5k students), liberal arts or small research unis, in or near vibrant city with its own campus. She loved Georgetown, but that is not realistic given our finances and her stats. I would love to find a few match schools in the DC, Philadelphia or Boston metro area as DD would prefer to move back north. DD’s current shortlist:

U of Richmond
Wake Forest (maybe, no visit yet)
Furman (Furman scholar + SC merit aid ~30K total)
U of So Carolina, prolly Capstone
College of Charleston, Honors College

29 ACT, first sitting with no prep
3.6 GPA/4.3 wGPA
mostly honors and APs (only allowed in jr/sr yr per school policy)

My DD is somewhat introverted, but can turn it on given the right circumstances. A very nurturing person (despite her RBF), liberal, agnostic, loves to debate and learn, kind of a stealth SJW (has strong political beliefs but is not combative), seeks meaningful connections with people. Her ideal schools are Georgetown, Tufts and Vanderbilt if money and reality were not obstacles. Loves the traditions, the urban location and easy access (but still has its own campus), rigor, spirit, socially active, small class size, and engaged student body. Open curriculum is desirable; women’s colleges are not. Please suggest match schools.

mid-sized school, ~5000 student body is ideal
Strong poli sci, history, pre-law programs
Focus on Global Citizenship
Service-Learning opportunities
school spirit
easy access to city for cultural events, entertainment, internship opps
easy to get to, i.e. ~6 hour drive from Columbia, SC or close to a major airport