<p>I bet if you really reflect on your statement that “all” of the students you know who go to a certain school are a certain type, you will start to remember the exceptions or variety within your data set.
If you walk around any of the schools on your list, you will find students who do not fit these generalizations.
That said, I do think there are campus cultures that appeal more to some people than others, and you sound like you are ready to do some more exploration to find schools that are right for you.</p>