<p>I appreciate your candid remarks, tikiman! I do not have a chip or anything about the common group of prestigious schools. I have studied, taught and worked with many students at and from prestigious schools at the graduate and medical school level. From my many years in academia, I see no difference at all in the abilities of graduate students between those who graduated from the tippy-top schools, the next tier down, the huge state flagships and the small LACs except individual differences that you find in each person. </p>
<p>The people I know who have attended the top schools can be divided into 2 camps: those like your brother, who love everything, and those whose experience is not so effusive–complaints about too many TA’s, limited access to the highly acclaimed faculty, feeling second class to the graduate/professional students. In my opinion, the top schools put their emphasis on their graduate and professional programs and do their best to try to accommodate/tolerate their undergrad programs. I don’t recommend bankrupting your family and limiting your future options by paying the huge dollars as an undergrad. Save your money and attend one of the Ivies or top schools for graduate school! That’s all I’m trying to say, nothing more. So many fine schools are out there with lots of merit funding that place just as many grads in top programs as the top schools themselves; I just hate to see this bias perpetuated that they are “lesser” schools because they don’t have 20,000+ applicants each year. They often offer more personal experiences with no TAs and a more collegial, collaborative environment.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to criticize you on the diversity issue–that was a general rant that I guess just slipped out–nothing personal!!!</p>
<p>If money is no issue, then make any dream list you want. My original advice, though is to think harder about the environment you would be thrive in–trimesters vs. semester, large lectures or small discussion-based classes, multiple-choice tests or essays, Greek or non-Greek, 4 year residential or apartment based housing, etc. What activities do you hope to participate in? Will you be able to at whichever school you choose, or are the odds against you? Do some thinking now and apply accordingly, so you aren’t trying to get to 10 admitted student overnights all across the country while taking AP tests, etc. Next April seems like a long time to pick a school, but it’s very stressful if you haven’t done some serious soul-searching now.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>