If you’re open to smaller schools, you might consider adding Sewanee to your list. In the category of non-urban/beautiful surroundings, the setting is unmatched. In terms of “existent campus life and social scene,” it is known for its vibrant and low-toxicity Greek system, which is balanced by amazing outdoor pursuits in which many students partake. The French department is strong and runs its own cohort-based, faculty-led study abroad program each fall in Nantes. French & French Studies | The University of the South There’s also a Business Honors Program that could be a good fit for your interests Carey Fellows Business Honors Program | The University of the South and it has an admissions cycle for continuing students as well as one for entering first-years. (Business is a minor, not a major, but it can be combined with a major in Econ or French or anything else.)
The median weighted GPA of the most recent entering class is 3.74, so you’re solidly above median there and way above median test score wise. So I think your potential for significant merit is excellent. (Yet, it’s a very well-regarded school that would likely be a lot more competitive for admissions if more students were willing to attend non-urban LAC’s in the south.) To get to your price point, you’d need full-tuition merit, and it looks like they only award four of those per year, so that’s a reach by definition, but not impossible.
Another possibility would be UNC Asheville - another gorgeous natural setting, and a relatively affordable public LAC with good merit potential.
A financial safety worth considering would be Truman State, Missouri’s Honors LAC. You’d get the maximum auto-merit so your maximum COA, even before possible additional scholarships, would be under 20K. It’s a strong school academically, with a nice mid-sized student body (5700 undergrads) and robust undergrad business programs. Truman students do well with grad school admissions. Truman State University at a Glance