I'd look at Kenyon, Oberlin, and Kalamazoo as well.

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is interested in SLACs. I grew up in New York and always envisioned the NESCAC schools when I thought about liberal arts colleges. We now live in the midwest, and I'm wondering if there's any need to do a New England tour, or if the midwestern SLACs have everything she'll need- she's interested so far in St. Olaf, Grinnell, Dickinson, Denison. Merit aid will also have to be part of the equation - we don't need a ton, but a place like Grinnell that offers automatic merit aid if you go ED would make it a lot easier for us. Certainly we would prefer driving distance over flying distance.

My DC is a Denison grad and I am a NESCAC alum. DC's college experience was far better than mine in every way and yes, I think the schools you mention offer everything she would need. Consider Kenyon and Oberlin as well.

I'll join the chorus in promoting Macalester, which seems underrated and offers good merit aid. I don't have first-hand experience, but my impression is that somehow offers the benefits of both (a) having a tight-knit LAC community and (b) a big city. It's really strong in international studies and seems to have great med-school placement.

Carleton is a great school, but it doesn't offer merit aid and its financial aid, while not terrible, isn't as good as other top LACs. To OP's concern, it seems like students there certainly work very hard, but I think the general atmosphere is collaborative, friendly, and laid back. So if there's intensity or pressure, it's probably more self-imposed than cultural. Still, I'd wager that St. Olaf, which seems like a super pleasant and friendly place, would be less stressful and have less work.

I tried to get my kid interested in Oberlin and Kenyon, but, for reasons she was never able to full articulate to me, she just wasn't interested. That said, they both seem like great schools and offer significant merit aid.

Anonymous wrote:OP here -yes, I think we will look at Macalaster and UMN when we are up there. (She would be interested in the ag/food science school which I understand is on a smaller campus). She is not too keen Carleton. Our neighbors have 2 kids there and they say it is a total pressure cooker. Plus, I figure if she can get into Carleton, she could get into Grinnell, which has more programs she likes and is closest to home (a plus for her). PA is furthest afield for us, but she really liked the offerings at Dickinson.

FWIW, my Carleton student has not found Carleton to be a pressure cooker. Students are collaborative and friendly. It's on the trimester system, so terms do move quickly. Maybe your neighbors' kids don't like that aspect?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you considered Carleton or Macalaster? Mac offers merit aid

Yes, definitely look at Macalester. Lovely school in a great location that I’ve never heard anything but positive things about. My kid got the top merit aid of 25K. Got into top choice so won’t be attending, but it would have been a strong contender.

Is this everyone else's experience also? Interested in hearing first hand accounts.

OP here -yes, I think we will look at Macalaster and UMN when we are up there. (She would be interested in the ag/food science school which I understand is on a smaller campus). She is not too keen Carleton. Our neighbors have 2 kids there and they say it is a total pressure cooker. Plus, I figure if she can get into Carleton, she could get into Grinnell, which has more programs she likes and is closest to home (a plus for her). PA is furthest afield for us, but she really liked the offerings at Dickinson.

Anonymous wrote:Have you considered Carleton or Macalaster? Mac offers merit aid

Yes, definitely look at Macalester. Lovely school in a great location that I’ve never heard anything but positive things about. My kid got the top merit aid of 25K. Got into top choice so won’t be attending, but it would have been a strong contender.

Add Kalamazoo College to your list. Great school, cool study abroad program, excellent record for high percentage of kids getting into med school and top grad schools.

my dd graduated from Dickinson in '22 and I can not say enough good things about that school. She is still very much involved!

Have you considered Carleton or Macalaster? Mac offers merit aid

I will also note that Grinnell’s ED acceptance rate went down this year, probably in part due to the automatic merit aid.

Dickinson, on her list, is in Pennsylvania and offers merit aid so, as does F&M. Maybe add a PA and Ohio tour. Conn College does as well and that’s def NE.

I went through this recently.
I would recommend that you not feel the need to explore things - just because they exist.
If I was in your shoes, I would go and do a tour of those schools and call it a day. If your DD is in the mix for Grinnell, some of the other schools you mentioned are not as competitive and should be matches.

They are all small schools with their own "fits" and "feels" - there is nothing particularly unique about the NESCAC schools, other than being several decades older. The experience and education at the stronger midwestern schools will be similar. The main thing is what part of the country does she want to experience in college or does she want to live elsewhere after?

My daughter is interested in SLACs. I grew up in New York and always envisioned the NESCAC schools when I thought about liberal arts colleges. We now live in the midwest, and I'm wondering if there's any need to do a New England tour, or if the midwestern SLACs have everything she'll need- she's interested so far in St. Olaf, Grinnell, Dickinson, Denison. Merit aid will also have to be part of the equation - we don't need a ton, but a place like Grinnell that offers automatic merit aid if you go ED would make it a lot easier for us. Certainly we would prefer driving distance over flying distance.