<p>on the right track. Top LAC over universities (including Ivies) is a no-brainer if writing is your top priority – the level of attention and feedback you will receive at a LAC is a huge advantage vs. a university where in many cases top professors won’t have the time or interest in providing very detailed feedback on your writing assignments. Across the curriculum, writing is emphasized at the top LAC’s, not just in writing-specific classes.</p>
<p>Regarding financial aid, I would apply to as many schools as you can which interest you, and worry about financial aid after you are accepted. Schools which may rank lower on best value lists may still end up giving you a really great offer – financial aid is idiosyncratic and unpredictable, even from applicant to applicant. Plus, a school may be inclined to match a financial aid offer, particular if they really want you and your better offer is from a higher-ranked institution. So more acceptances may = more leverage in the end. </p>
<p>On to specific schools. Certainly apply to my alma mater, Williams. It’s produced many, many stellar writers, including Jay McInerney, Dominick Dunne, Fiona Maazel, Sonia Nazario, Stacy Schiff, A.R. Gurney, Michael Beschloss, etc. There are several well-regarded fiction writers on the faculty, most notably James and Karen Shepherd, and a well-known poet, Lawrence Raab. The Berkshires in general is a mecca for the arts, so you will be around a lot of creative people. </p>
<p>I would second Middlebury and in particular Kenyon. Kenyon is very, very rural, but really beautiful and hard to top for creative writing, given that it is home to the Kenyon Review, and has also produced many accomplished writers. I think they may give out some small amount of merit aid, as well. Definitely should be on your list. I’d also consider Colorado College which is a bit easier to gain acceptance to (perhaps would offer more aid accordingly?) but is also known for arts in general and writing in particular. Finally, if you do decide to apply to a larger school, certainly add the University of Iowa to your mix. Famous for its writing program and would likely end up being a bargain. It’s possible that they have a more intimate program for undergrad writing than typical for a large university owing to their famous MFA program, but then again the faculty may be more focused on grad students – I’m not sure.</p>