Choosing a College for the Budding Career Scientist_A CC Manifesto

Can you be more specific about what to look for in UG programs? I went to a large state school with many research programs in which you could participate in all sorts of ways from Work Study to getting credit through 400 level Independent Research. I am aware of the programs which cough up funding for student-directed research, but how is that any more valuable than participating in someone else’s grant?