<p>To the OP,</p>
<p>I grew up in a moderately ‘soul crushing’ type of town and had 60 kids in my graduating class. About 1/3 went to college, 1/3 to the military or took jobs, and about 1/3 ended up doing jail/prison time. College will be different, even in a rural, ‘soul crunching’ type of town. Don’t dismiss schools in these small towns. </p>
<p>Ohio U is a great option.</p>
<p>Also, check out Truman State in Missouri. The town where it is located is ‘soul crushing’ but the students are not. They are very bright and progressive. The avg ACT score is 27.5.</p>
<p>It will provide the academic rigor that you might like. With scholarships, the cost will be around $18,000 per year.</p>