A Synopsis of a (Confused) Future College Applicant...

This is where your post fell apart for me. Please do deeper research, beyond the common wisdom of the uninformed, about the relevance of some published “rank” of an attended college to actual success in life. You sound like a good candidate for an LAC, a place where you can try out ideas, expand curiosity and interests, and maybe better clarify your eventual career directions. Right now I’m afraid you are set to follow someone else’s script that may not be right for you.