<p>Outside super selective MIT, Stanford, CalTech and Princeton, most of the best ChemE programs are at major publics–UCB, Wisconsin, UMinn, Texas, etc. so you might think about that option.</p>
<p>With its long sequences of prerequisites, be aware that study abroad options can be limited for a chemical engineering major, since the study abroad school needs to have an exact match for a course that you need to take during the semester that you would be studying abroad.</p>
<p>Last year when I was in the midst of my college search I had many of the same criteria: strong in ChemE, private (partially because I prefer mid-sized schools), and at least the option of study abroad even if I don’t end up doing it. Some schools you might consider are Northwestern, Rice, Washington University in St. Louis, Vanderbilt, Lehigh, RPI, RIT, Tufts, and Bucknell. I visited Bucknell and although I didn’t end up applying since I got into a school I liked better early action, I was pretty impressed by what I saw of Bucknell and its ChemE program. Especially if you like the idea of attending a liberal arts schools without sacrificing the prospect of a BS in ChemE, it’s pretty cool. CMU and JHU are also good ones (which you obviously already know). </p>
<p>ucbalumnus is right in saying that most of the esteemed ChemE programs are in large public universities, but if you feel that a private school is better for you, there are still plenty of good options.</p>
<p>Look at Lafayette College. Offers chemical engineering/international relations combo that spends the spring semester of the sophomore year in Bremen, Germany</p>