I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned Indiana University – Bloomington yet. It’s a Big 10 school in a great college town. The town of Bloomington is surprisingly cosmopolitan for a town of less than 80k. There are tons of ethnic restaurants including Tibetan, Uyghur, and Afghani, along with other more commonly found international cuisines. The IU Auditorium hosts a full season of national touring productions from Broadway, so there’s no need to go to Indianapolis for a show. There are nearby lakes and opportunities to explore the outdoors with caving, hiking, etc. IU is in southern Indiana, so its weather is milder than many might think of for a state touching a Great Lake. Downtown starts along the western edge of campus and is walkable for students.
The campus itself is beautiful, often making it to lists of the most beautiful college campuses in the U.S. There is an active Greek scene for those who want it, but it’s easily avoidable for those who don’t. IU has historically been known as a basketball school, but this past year it had its best football season ever with fans packing the stadium. Soccer along with swimming and diving are also historical areas of strength for the school. Its world-famous music school means that there are tons of musical events here, with over 1000 recitals and concerts a year.
Academically, IU gets the most mentions on CC for its Kelley School of Business and the Jacobs School of Music. But it is strong across the arts and sciences, particularly with foreign languages, including rare ones. Its education school is also well reputed. There’s an honors college with an array of classes that fulfill distribution requirements but also has lots of discussions and dinners for students to engage with visiting guests. IU has a ton to offer students who want to take advantage of the opportunities available.
IU has around 37k undergrads and an overall acceptance rate of 80%. That rate does not apply to Jacobs (that requires an audition) or Kelley, if one does not meet the auto-admit standards.