My daughter is down to three schools and really torn. Michigan State is the only big state school and I was impressed with the campus and honors when I visited but I think the way that the campus is a little everything make it not enough…anything in particular. I am not sure she thinks she will find her nerdy fun theatre and board game playing friends there. She doesn’t seem to be finding much chatter happening in social media either. Just wasn’t wowed. She would also like to run into students from Japan since that will be one of her majors and isn’t sure there are many students from there on campus.
Anyone else finding things that are swaying your kids? I would like her to give it more consideration bc at 7 hours away it’s the closest campus and easier to get to. 
My son was considering MSU. James Madison College, but ultimately went to Florida State, they had a first year abroad in Florence Italy and that sealed the deal.
What are the other choices?
RIT in New York, Willamette in Oregon. So we have large state school, tech school where she works be doing liberal arts, and struggling attentive liberal arts college with establishedJapanese exchange school on their campus which brings 100 Japanese students to campus most years (starting back in 2022). That one has the Japanese students and cute campus bit boring town and less courses at cost, RIT has nerds but blah campus and puts its money into tech and low four year grad rate bc of co-ops, and MSU with good honors but otherwise big classes with remote faculty.
She got into some elite schools that would have been awesome like Swarthmore and Middlebury but just can’t afford them. 
First I take it the cost is fine at all 3. So she has 3 totally different types of a college experience to choose from. From your post fit is important for her and it should be she will be living there for 4 years.
RIT being a “tech” school and a non STEM major at first glance would be number 3 choice for us.
Willamette vs MSU would she thrive on a small campus and get lost on the MSU campus? or would she be board at Willamette and thrive on the energy of MSU? Willamette small class size definitely a plus. However Honors classes will compensate some at MSU. Not sure of her major but MSU has residential colleges ( like James Madison for Political Science which was on our short list )and I believe Honors students can take classes at them as well as having priority for class sign up.
School Spirit how important is it to her being part of the BIG10 ie: Football and Basketball and Alumni network etc compared to a small academic college.
Finding her niche small campus you know everyone Big campus 100’s of clubs but little more effort to find the right one but more to choose from.
Japanese program sounds like a big plus at Willamette but MSU has plenty of study abroad opportunities
It’s all about fit at this point the only Red Flag would be you stated Willamette is struggling .
Hope this Helps and good luck