I have heard such great things about Williams and she does love art history and I have heard they are great for that. We will look more into Hamilton as well. I know these might be stereotypes, but both schools have kind of a pre-finance and sport team rep where we live. Do you feel like these schools are still a good fit for kids that aren’t into those things? She is very active, but more of a hiking and camping vibe.
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Wow the Semester in the West looks amazing. I wonder if it is very hard to get into.
If you would like to consider brief, subjective comments on Williams and Hamilton, see this post:
She will be taking AP Calc BC next year. Hopefully she will do well on the exam - although I know some schools only give credit for a 5.
She took community college classes in varied subjects, but mostly art history, geology, and environmental studies. But she is really loving math this year and also is curious about anthropology and archeology.
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I can only speak from my son’s experience. Team sports are prominent at Williams — as they are most northeast LACs — but so are individual active pursuits. Williams rural mountain environment is nature-made for outdoorsy activities like hiking and camping plus snow sports in the winter. Williams Outing Club has been around for more than a 100 years and is widely supported.
“All year long, WOC offers a variety of trips and outings every week: Weekly Outing Club trips! including hiking, climbing, nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and more!”
Williams, like Hamilton and Colgate, has a kind of split personality between finance/economics and visual art. Many do end up on Wall Street (a natural connection to Williams substantial math & economics departments), but a wide range of careers in the arts, sciences and community service are well represented.
My son’s closest friends at Williams chose careers in architecture, legal advocacy, environmental management, developmental economics and life counseling. Advising for graduate and professional school is deep and long lasting. Professors know their students and are there for them at recommendation time.
And, as you note, Williams is an art history powerhouse with access and involvement encouraged even for non-majors. Take a look at their brand new museum. Plus the Clark and nearby MassMoCA.
If she gets advanced placement in math, she could take a sophomore level math course in each semester of her first year of college. It may be a good idea to choose courses with proofs and theory that will become prevalent in upper level math. These may be honors versions of multivariable calculus and linear algebra, discrete math courses, or “preparation for higher level math” courses. That would help her determine interest (or not) in math, while leaving plenty of schedule space to explore other subjects.
This can be anywhere - don’t forget all colleges (well almost all) have a college of arts and sciences. With a 3.98 and 34 ACT, plus her solid ECs (you say average but if she’s got a depth of part time work and volunteerism, I ‘d say that’s good). And when you go in as undeclared, you often are given a chance to experience different things academically.
There was a student recently who got a full ride at E Carolina. Now, you think that’s a school beneath them and it is, but if you have a shot at a full ride, that’s it - not there specifically but a less competitive school that has a full ride program. They had more competitive acceptances but chose the full ride. So the Chancellor’s Scholarship at App State is worth an app if you have space - because you know you’ll get into App and the Honors College but you also know it’s off the table if you don’t win the full ride. With 22K kids, you have to decide - is the application worthwhile - as you seem to prefer smaller. UNCC has the Levine - but while not in town, it’s not in nature per se.
How many kids will you have in school at once? How many years will this student be in alone? The year or years they are alone, how will that impact the cost? You might run the NPC with the lesser amount of kids.
Again, the concern with a Skidmore type is its need aware. It doesn’t mean not to apply but needing too much may hurt you. So blend in the need blind - the W&L, Williams, Davidson, etc.
I would add U of Wyoming to the list. It’s not far from activities in Colorado - it’s WUE tuition shows at $8100 so it’s likely low 20s - but it says WUE kids are eligible for the Brown & Gold Scholarship - which is up to $12K. Would WUE be eligible for that much? You can certainly call and find out - but it may fit without need aid which is unlikely OOS. It has 8K kids.
Two other thoughts - would Questbridge work? Do you meet the income requirements? If so, Berea might be worth a look as well.
Good luck.
A few more to check -
St. Lawrence awards their top kids free tuition.
Hendrix (in small town Arkansas) says this - not horribly far from both Hot Springs and scenic NW Arkansas) - says this:
Hendrix College (Conway, Arkansas)
Hays Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship covers full tuition, mandatory fees, a residence hall room, an an unlimited board plan. To be eligible, you must have a 3.6 GPA and a 32 ACT or a 1410 SAT score. Applicants must apply early action to the college and submit a separate application for the scholarship by February 1.
Hendrix College Scholarship
This scholarship gives you anywhere from $18,000 to full tuition. Winners are chosen based on factors such as GPA, test scores, recommendations, leadership experience, and extracurricular activities. All admitted students to the school are automatically considered for the scholarship.
U Hawaii says this - so maybe you weave in a few “hail mary’s” - in the application strategy:
University of Hawai’i (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Regents Scholarship
This scholarship awards full tuition, a $4,000 annual stipend, and a $2,000 travel grant. Applicants should have a high school GPA of at least 3.5, scores of at least 29 on the ACT or 1340 on the SAT, and remarkable extracurricular involvement. Each year, 20 scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen.
Good luck
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With respect to Hamilton, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and light hiking are activities that can be done right on campus, including on groomed trails. Beyond the immediate appeal of these opportunities, they make it convenient to prepare physically for more extensive, off-campus trips. One of the glens on campus, Root Glen, is a tourist attraction, so be sure to see it if you visit. Overall, Hamilton’s campus offers two main glens and an emergency-backup glen. The tallest Norway spruce in the U.S. also can be found on campus.
Academically, Hamilton’s open curriculum seems especially well suited to your daughter’s diverse interests.
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Medium is the rarest size, as you know, so I’m going to continue the trend of ignoring that criteria.
I agree with others that you can probably ignore out of state state schools; very, very few will be cost competitive if your need is at 15-20K. Start with the schools that meet or almost meet 100%. Your student’s stats are solid for many of them, though none are a definite admit.
You don’t need a Johnson to afford W&L. They meet all need, and their outdoor activities programs are top notch in a broadly excellent LAC. Very fratty, but more diverse than in the past.
I will second the previous poster on Hendrix. My eldest son’s alma mater, and punches way above its weight academically and in terms of student life.
If cold is no concern, St Olaf is a great choice.
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I also agree Hendrix is a great suggestion! The Ozarks, and not least the Boston Mountains, are definitely an attraction. And I agree it has a very good academic reputation.
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My rock-climbing, snowboarder, artsy, radio show dj kid is at Hamilton and loves it. He is decidedly NOT finance bro-y and is not on a team sport. He plays bocce and badminton recreationally, and logs serious hours at the climbing wall. He is also taking full advantage of the open curriculum, taking classes in archaeology, religious studies, philosophy, economics, government, film studies and photography.
I initially thought he would be a Vassar or Wesleyan kid, but he knew right away Hamilton was the place for him.
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There are many colleges with a strong core courses requirement. This means students take courses across a lot of domains. Majors are sometimes declared sometime during sophomore year…and maybe the student will find something that piques their interest or finds a fabulous mentor while taking these core course requirements.
Another suggestion…Hobart and William Smith
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However, it depends on whether the core or GE requirements are those where the student will take courses that could apply to possible majors, versus those that would not apply to possible majors and therefore just consume schedule space that reduces the space available for exploration.
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Of tangential note, interests in geology and archaeology can be combined through the
the interdisciplinary major of geoarchaeology.
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Both of my kids had course intensive majors, and had strong core course requirements. They had no difficulty fulfilling the core, and their majors. Their colleges required the core…and major courses were done with that in mind. One of my kids did their core in the first two years. The other did one course a semester for four years. Neither had any difficulty with major course scheduling.
ETA…each had a couple of core courses which applied to their major, but not ALL of the core did.
But students can and should check this when researching colleges.
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There’s lots of names being bandied about. Until OP runs NPCs on those names, understands the differences when only one is in school vs two or three - it’s kind of tough. And then one has to be admitted possible yes - assuredly so - no - not at their necessary cost.
So they do need do need to find the assured to make budget - I’d say early on. They noted UCD. UCD room and board shows $20k off campus (I know they can average) and $22k on campus.
This is the school a student first has to tackle. I mentioned Humboldt (which has a diversity of majors despite the Cal Poly name) - it’s published housing expenses are under $15k. It exudes nature.
I looked at Southern Oregon but WUE tuition alone would be about $14k with merit. It could fit otherwise.
I think it’s fine to toss a lot every high rated LAC but OP is building a list and it needs to start with that assured school. To hit $15k in state, they need to qualify for free tuition and find a room and board opportunity at $15k. That is not going to be UCD or UCSC.
And let’s not forget we have real inflation now - schools are going to have to raise food costs in the future.
OP might look at Hartwick too - $40k all in with up to $10k merit so $30k. Do they have need aid too is a question they might ask.
A tight budget brings tradeoffs - but one can go most anywhere undeclared and most every school - LAC to large public - will allow students to take a variety of courses early that’s what undecided is for as a major
Good luck.
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Or at a bit of a stretch paleontology. The career my 60-something self wishes my 18-year old self had considered 
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A student seeking to avoid urban surroundings may wish to omit Union from this group.
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That’s a good point. I was thinking proximity to cool outdoor stuff, but the immediate setting is urban.
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