<p>As a SoCal resident, I’m not sure if you’re fully aware of how hard it is to get into UT and UMich as an out-of-state applicant. If Berkeley and UCLA are stretches, then UT and UMich are definitely not matches.</p>
<p>Where can I find out about the true characteristics of a school and their student body?</p>
<p>If you go to the individual forums for each of the schools you’re looking at, you should be able to find some threads that will shed some light on what the school and its student body are like.</p>
<p>What do I look for in a school in terms of characteristics.</p>
<p>You can look for things like good financial aid packages, small classes, Division I sports, location of campus, greek life, etc…</p>
<p>Is Preppiness a bad thing in a school? (Vandy?)</p>
<p>Preppiness is basically a way of life. It typically refers to people from wealthy families with conservative sensibilities. People that wear polos with khakis and like to look as my grandfather would say, sharp. People that value education and want to maintain their wealth and status for future generations. People that golf and belong to the local country club and have roots in the community. Anywho, Vandy is one of the more conservative top schools.</p>