<p>WiscoKid, your strategy was thin in the middle. You overlooked moderately selective LACs with merit money (“match” schools like Grinnell, Oberlin, Macalester, Whitman, or Kenyon). Nevertheless, you’ve been accepted by 3 good schools. </p>
<p>You could try to persuade Wesleyan to increase your aid. Show them what Hendrix has offered. That might not move them, especially if most of the Hendrix package is merit aid. If most of it is need-based, perhaps Wesleyan missed something and would reconsider.</p>
<p>If Wesleyan does not budge, and if you’re determined to rule out Wisconsin (a very good state university), then try Hendrix for a year. If you find it’s not what you wanted, transfer. Even if you don’t get a good aid package as a transfer, you’ll have saved quite a bit compared to a year at Wesleyan. Get excellent grades, do something interesting, and apply to a broader range of schools. Or you might find yourself very satisfied with Hendrix , in which case you’ll be saving a bundle for study abroad or grad school. Hendrix is a good alternative for middle-income students who are priced out of the most selective schools, but who still want a small, private college with solid academics.</p>
<p>Hendrix does have a very high admit rate, but by average SAT scores it’s comparable to UT Austin, Holy Cross, or West Point. A high percentage of Hendrix students go on to graduate and professional schools. For science PhDs per capita, it ranks with Berkeley, Dartmouth, and William & Mary.</p>
<p>[Top</a> 50 Schools That Produce Science PhDs - CBS MoneyWatch.com](<a href=“MoneyWatch: Financial news, world finance and market news, your money, product recalls updated daily - CBS News”>MoneyWatch: Financial news, world finance and market news, your money, product recalls updated daily - CBS News)</p>