<p>Overall, with the exception of BC, you are looking at schools which are definitely medium to large. In the end it all comes down to your personal preference. Some people thrive in large schools and some people want personal attention. You can start with the Fiske Guide Choosing the right college and the Fiske College guide (essentially truth in advertising the way he describes these schools)</p>
<p>His website also has a self assessment, where do you belong</p>
<p>It consists of 30 questions, answer then and then grade yourself.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fiskeguide.com/belong.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.fiskeguide.com/belong.html</a></p>
<p>what Fiske says about Duke:</p>
<p>Duke University </p>
<p>Boasting superb academics, gorgeous facilities, and a fi***l of national championships, Duke now successfully competes with the nation's oldest and most prestigious schools for students - and wins. Duke's engineering programs - particularly electrical and biomedical - are national standouts. The natural sciences, most notably biology, chemistry, and physics, are also first-rate. Lately, literary studies at Duke have received heightened national attention and student interest, particularly literature, English, and Romance studies. The highly regarded Sandford Institute of Public Policy offers an interdisciplinary major - unusual at the undergraduate level - with a strong program of internships and apprenticeships for students aspiring to be players in the public sphere. All students must fulfill small Group Learning Experiences, which consist of one seminar-type course during the freshman year and two more as an upperclassman. </p>
<p>Fraternities and sororities are at the center of campus life. Twenty-nine percent of the men and 42 percent of the women pledge, and fraternity parties are open to everyone. "As for extracurricular activities," says a student, "there are three: Basketball, basketball, basketball." </p>
<p>Duke University has epitomized the definition of academic upward mobility in recent years, and is now routinely listed among the nation's top academic institutions. Duke students have found a way to pursue a premier education while also making time to enjoy themselves.*</p>
<p>what Fiske says about UVA</p>
<p>*University of Virginia
Elite among public institution of higher education, UVA also holds its own against the best of the private schools, too. A number of special programs are offered in addition to the regular curriculum. The most prestigious of these is the Echols Scholars program, which exempts students from distribution and major-field requirements and lets them loose to explore the academic disciplines as they see fit. The school invites about 180 top freshmen into the program and houses them together for their first year. To encourage more professor/student interaction, the university instituted a University Seminar program, in which prominent faculty teach 15 or fewer first-year students in a seminar learning environment. </p>
<p>Virginia is noted for its honor system, which was instituted by students in 1842 after no one owned up to shooting a professor on the Lawn. Students are expected to "have the moral fortitude to abide by the community's standards of moral conduct," and the penalty for infractions is a swift dismissal from campus. </p>
<p>About 30 percent of both men and women make up the Greek system, which has a fairly prominent role in campus social life. The student-run University Union and more than 300 student organizations offer movies, concerts, social hours, and other extracurricular activities. Ultimately, this quintessentially Virginian institution can take pride in its paternal lineage and its powerful present, as it defends its title as one of the premier public institutions in the country.
*</p>
<p>I hope this gives you a jumping off point.</p>