Safety LACs

ucbalumnus
Sat, 08 Aug 2020 00:09:07 +0000

zkreines:

To answer some of the questions:
No real cost constraints, although a college that meets need without loans is preferred

That suggests that you and your parents cannot pay private college list price. Have you talked to them about what they will contribute? You can only borrow $5.5k first year without a cosigner (and cosigned loans or parent loans are generally not a good idea). Use each college’s net price calculator to see what its financial aid may be like (“meet need” promises mean less than they seem, since each college may define “need” differently).

zkreines:

I’m mostly interested in humanities, but also in physics and math. I’m interested in lots of different things which is why I want to go to a LAC

You can take courses in lots of different things at a non-LAC college as well. The usual trade-offs are that LACs try to have smaller class sizes at all levels (particularly frosh/soph level, where class sizes can get big at larger colleges) but may have more limited upper level offerings. College catalogs can let you compare offerings in the various departments at each college, and college class schedules often show class sizes along with what is actually offered each term.

In terms of freedom to explore, consider whether each college’s general education requirements can provide structure in selecting courses in your varied interests, or are a hindrance in requiring you to check boxes rather than choose what you are really interested in. But note that some subjects like physics and math require starting frosh/soph level course work early due to prerequisite sequencing.