OP, IMO , I think that the question you should be asking yourself is " Will I be happy living on this campus and in this community for at least the next 4 years?" I don’t what type of community you live in now in the Midwest , but if it is more suburban or metropolitan , moving to an area that is more rural with “boring, and not much going on " will probably be quite an adjustment . If the area is only a concern to you after you graduate, that should play less into your decisions. Many students relocate after graduation , so that shouldn’t be your deciding factor. You’ve been given some great options to consider where you will get a wonderful education in a variety of areas, some rural, some suburban and some urban. Four years can be a long time if you’re " bored and have nothing going on.” My advice is to sit down and prioritize what exactly is meaningful to you in a college experience, and begin your research there. You will receive a lot of opinions and advice on CC, but in the end the only important opinion is yours . Good luck in your college search.