<p>In most countries, there are only a few really prestigious universities - and almost everyone just goes to their regional school unless they are studying something really unique. So many foreign students (even those who have been in the US for a few years), think it must be similar here: The Ivies (maybe Stanford and MIT too) and then ‘mediocre’ (meaning regional). That’s a common mistake - one of the great ‘products’ of the US university system is that, as a result of competition, wealth and a diverse population, we have many outstanding universities and colleges often tailored to specific target audiences. The top 100 are likely to be excellent - although not every one of them will be excellent for a specific student. That’s part of what makes the process complicated: You have to know what you want. Figuring that out is, by itself, a lot of work and it’s not just foreign students who get baffled by the range of options. </p>
<p>OP, I agree with others - you need to spend more time thinking about what you want from your education - what your selection criteria are for a college. Once you know more, we can offer better suggestions.</p>