I think that since you already know your basic criteria, it doesn’t really matter which specific school you choose. The reality is that you’re probably going to get a pretty much equivalent education wherever you go. I’d consider prestige to some extent. Not because this will mean a better education, but because prestigious school often attract better students, and if you get in this will help you with building solid connections.
I think this is one of those things that isn’t really worth stressing about. Just look at the list of twenty or so that you have now, and just apply to the five or six that you intuitively feel best about. Also, it might be worth applying early decision. That would mean you only need to apply to one school which could make it easier on you.
This is just a hypothesis, but I think that the variance in the education that undergraduates get is more determined by the specific undergraduate than by the school. In other words, if your motivated and want to do well, you will probably do well just about anywhere.
I think that since you already know your basic criteria, it doesn’t really matter which specific school you choose. The reality is that you’re probably going to get a pretty much equivalent education wherever you go. I’d consider prestige to some extent. Not because this will mean a better education, but because prestigious school often attract better students, and if you get in this will help you with building solid connections.
I think this is one of those things that isn’t really worth stressing about. Just look at the list of twenty or so that you have now, and just apply to the five or six that you intuitively feel best about. Also, it might be worth applying early decision. That would mean you only need to apply to one school which could make it easier on you.
This is just a hypothesis, but I think that the variance in the education that undergraduates get is more determined by the specific undergraduate than by the school. In other words, if your motivated and want to do well, you will probably do well just about anywhere.