<p>A lot of people talk about gut feeling when choosing schools, and based on what you have written it seems like your gut is telling you Columbia or UPenn. I would say choose Penn or Columbia. After all, it is you that will spending the next 4 years at whichever school you choose, and if one of them just seems right for you, choose it! Also, consider that Columbia and UPenn are both in large city settings while Princeton is in a very small town. Perhaps being in a city/metropolitan setting is a better fit for you. Columbia and Penn are GREAT schools as is Princeton. The differences among them, if any, are very small. Good luck!</p>