<p>Well, that is why you visit, sit in on classes, talk to students, professors, maybe go to an Accepted Students Day, maybe do an overnight visit. You want to be able to picture yourself there, you want to feel the right “vibe” so to speak.</p>
<p>Get the Fiske Guide. It does a good job of describing colleges so you get a good feel for them.</p>
<p>I agree Brandeis sounds like a great school for you.</p>
<p>I’m thinking University of Chicago is perfect - “where fun goes to die”. You (and I, and my kid, and my friends) have a different idea of “fun” than most people do, and you’d probably find many of you people there. (I live in Colorado, so I consider U of C still in the NE, but I realize that other people may not… 
) </p>
<p>You can visit without your mom. Either take public transportation to nearby schools, fly, go with a friend’s parents…</p>
<p>You can try for Ivies, but pick the ones you actually like, not just the ones everyone has heard of.</p>
<p>I like both Rice and Wash U for you, but they’re not in the NE. Both are known for happy students - when we visited Rice, they were VERY happy. You may also want to consider state schools with honors programs - Cook Honors College in Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Barrett Honors College at Arizona State.</p>
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Depending on how bad your seasonal depression is, and if you’re more than an hour’s drive from home, it could be a factor.</p>
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I feel the same. :)</p>
<p>You sound like a well-balanced person, and I’m sure you’ll do great wherever you end up!</p>