Reply to Good alternatives to UVA/WM with merit?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here. Thanks all. To clarify, I’m looking at options for students with high stats and an in-state budget who still may get rejected from W&M/UVA, but the student is not that excited about Tech/JMU as alternative schools. I understand to get merit they won’t be as highly ranked at WM/UVA. Where else should we look? Thanks to those who already answered. [/quote]

OP here. Should add that we want DC to be within a 6-8 hour drive. Don’t want to deal with airfare and such. So probably places like Grinnell are out, although I’m sure it’s lovely.[/quote]

Do they find UVA more appealing or W&M? That preference would tend to lead to different target/safety schools.

Within your distance limit, I know kids who wanted UVA who are now at U of SC, U Mass, Rochester although more ended up at JMU, VT, or VCU (the pre-meds at VCU)
Those who liked W&M are at schools like Dickinson, Mount Holyoke, SMCM.[/quote]

Right now they think W&M but DH and I went there so they are probably biased although we’ve really tried to remain neutral (and we truly don’t care!) Our main fear is they get shut out of both. Not that excited about either Tech or JMU. [/quote]

I get it. I have one kid at VT who really didn't like W&M while my other liked W&M but not UVA or VT. She applied to a range of LACs. I still insisted on an in-state safety so she applied to UMW, which is the closest in Virginia in size/style to W&M. [b]I'd recommend you start visiting some LACs that have potential to come in similar to or less than the cost of W&M (generally rank in the 50-80 range on the USNWR list). [/b]Also, Jesuit schools tend to be similar in size to W&M so some of the less-selective ones might be good options too.[/quote]

OP here. I guess this where I am confused. Where do I look to get an idea of which schools would have any chance of being affordable to us with merit aid. I don't want to apply a bunch of places we have no hope of affording. [/quote]

There are ample resources for this online and in books (e.g. [url]https://thecollegesolution.com[/url]) but off the top of my head, my kids got $$$ from these schools:

Case Western Reserve
U. Pittsburgh
Oberlin
Denison
Clark
Juniata
Allegheny
Ohio Wesleyan
U. Mary Washington
UMBC

Several years ago U. Rochester gave my high-stats (1600 SAT/4.0 UW GPA) kid $9K, which didn't move the needle at all.  (Now, the average non-need-based scholarship or grant awarded to first-year students at University of Rochester is $15,133.)[/quote]

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