<p>I second applying to more schools. Financial aid packages vary a LOT. I went to Hamilton. Middle of nowhere, gorgeous campus, excellent writing program. Most classes are quite small. They gave me a chunk of aid. Hamilton is known for being generous.</p>
<p>You could “see” the campus and the environs by looking at “google maps” street view:
<a href=“Google Maps”>Google Maps;
then drag the little yellow guy in the upper left hand corner of the map to a road. </p>
<p>FWIW, my ds applied to only 6 schools, and the financial aid packages varied greatly. He received packages from $12,000 to $35,000. You are not crazy for applying to so many schools. As you can see, that extra “$500” spent on more applications can be very worth it. I wish that he had applied to more schools. He may have received an even better package from another good fit, though I am very glad that he chose where he did.</p>
<p>I do disagree: “I may add one merit-aid-granting financial safety if you guys are adamant that I need it, but I have been under the impression that my merit aid at less selective schools would be approximately equivalent to my financial aid from top LACs.” This may sound cynical, but less selective schools may give more merit, because your stats would boost their stats, and they want that, so they want you, and so would give more aid in the form of merit. </p>
<p>I didn’t read super carefully, but was Colgate on your list? We just visited, and while it is not a good fit for my dd, it may be for you. Quite small near a small town, very beautiful, and their alums really love it, (excellent help from them after graduation) - there is a strong connection between the students and faculty, and they meet need. It is a well regarded school. They are also consistently on the “colleges that guarantee the highest salaries” lists - many lawyers graduate there, and while you may not want to be a lawyer, you would make good alumni connections for your future. At this point, you are not at all thinking about this, I am sure, but your very expensive education is an investment in your future.</p>
<p><a href="http://jobs./articles/2011/10/12/the-colleges-that-guarantee-the-highest-salaries/%5B/url%5D">http://jobs./articles/2011/10/12/the-colleges-that-guarantee-the-highest-salaries/</a></p>