@PurpleTitan Thank you for your insight! So far, the social aspects of high school (aside from my friends), are not super important to me. But, that could very well change, and I could end up just adoring my junior and senior years.
I’m pretty sure that the acad program is separate from the honors program. But, I will have the opportunity to apply for interdisciplinary honors–something I am definitely interested in.
I chose my “dream schools” by doing pretty much what you described. I asked myself what I wanted to have accomplished 20 years down the line, and looked into undergrad and grad schools that would specifically help me get there. I’ve seen a few high-achieving friends who chose their colleges based on reputation alone. And, the schools they ended up at are great schools, but they just aren’t happy there. So, I tried to take a multi-faceted approach, and consider more than the academics and reputation. 
Again, thank you so much for your response!