@uwalummom - Have you looked at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio? My middle son is an Honors freshman there, studying Mechanical Engineering. He really likes Miami a lot! It’s a public school that feels more like a private one. They basically are an undergraduate institution (a few Masters degrees are offered.), and US News’ fifth-ranked college for undergraduate teaching Both of my son’s roommates are OOS business majors, one from California, and the other from Northern Virginia, and both had many other options. The Farmer School of Business is highly rated. http://miamioh.edu/fsb/about/index.html The campus is gorgeous, and Oxford, Ohio, is a top-rated college town.
Miami starts focusing on careers right away. They helped him build his LinkedIn page the fourth week he was there.
Football is not as big a deal as at the top Big Ten schools, but they are crazy for hockey! The Red Hawks have played in the NCAA tournament eight of the last nine years.
And the best for last. Miami offers generous merit-based scholarships (http://miamioh.edu/admission/merit-grid/) and good overall financial aid.