So sorry to hear about your dilemma, Uponatime. My husband grew up on a farm too, and his parents had a similar attitude. But college was a lot less expensive back then. U of M Morris is a great option for you. I agree that you should go ahead and apply to Carleton, and see what they say. My son is awaiting a response to his ED application, so maybe you’ll both end up there next year! We looked at several schools that have the Carleton feel, and would definitely recommend Grinnell, Denison and College of Wooster, which have already been suggested by others. I would also add three more (also from the Colleges that Change Lives book): Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI (both are connected to nice, small cities) and Beloit College, Beloit, WI. We didn’t visit it, but Knox College in Illinois is also supposed to have nice merit aid packages. So you have lots of options. Just check them out, and start applying. I like Niche.com for student reviews about their experiences at these schools. Good luck!