<p>You place way too much emphasis on your top choice schools’ ability to affect two iotas of your quality of life afterward. Do you honestly think the trajectory of your life will be so radically different if you were to attend Tufts vs. Duke? </p>
<p>In the real world, those differences are extremely ephemeral. Having “been there and done that” with my HYP diploma, often I find myself trying to talk people down from the ledge like yourself.</p>
<p>That’s my advice to you if you were my kid. I’m sure there are others who will think differently…</p>