Drop Kettering please. It’s not a fit. You have many within your range. Penn State is top notch.
It seems you want big well rounded schools. You don’t need Kettering as MSU is a shoe in.
But here’s others that are safe and have accredited environmental and I’m guessing Civil too. That’s only 109 nationally. These are within your 7-9 hour range.
U Buffalo
C Michigan
U Cincy
Mich Tech
SUNY ESF - and you get many benefits of Syracuse
Ohio State - likely
Penn State - likely
Pitt
Toledo
Not mentioned but focused like Kettering - Rose Hulman, which has Civil accreditation but it’s in the Civil and Environmental department. It’s also, removing schools granting PhDs, often recognized as the top engineering school in the country. Not knowing your comfort for super small and more isolated, but on paper a much wiser choice than Kettering.
You definitely need to have a budget first though b4 choosing schools. What can your family pay but more importantly what are they willing to pay?
If it’s $30k, as an example, schools like Purdue must come off.
Good luck.
ps - a lot want a school like Cornell. UIUC is likely as hard. Nonetheless, the Cornell app is more work. Get your others done first. Then what if you get in. It’s too far but would you say no ? Why put yourself in that position.
My daughter had the exact same idea so I get it. She couldn’t go. We are full pay and it’s above the budget I put forth . So she didn’t bother. Northwestern would be a closer sub.
Good luck.