<p>I’d say Stanford is your ideal school. Although it has more than 7000 students it has roughly 7000 undergrads. (Don’t know if you wanted the cap on grad students or undergrad students). Stanford obviously has a great reputation that really can’t be beat. I’d say Stanford has an intellectual student body, one of the essays asked on the application was to write about your intellectual curiosity. As for Stanford students being movers and shakers, I’d say there is a certain entrepreneurial but not pre-professional per se, feel on campus. Stanford is absolutely gorgeous and is about an hour from SF and close to San Jose. In addition, due to the “Stanford Bubble”, there is constantly a lot to do on campus as well. Considering most of the other schools you listed are in the northeast or Midwest, I can tell you you’d find Stanford’s weather superior to most of the other schools on your list. As for the social life at Stanford, you can basically do what you want and people will respect you. Even though there are a significant number of drinkers at Stanford, it is not say, a Dartmouth, and one can definitely feel comfortable not drinking. I believe you’ll get close relationships with professors at nearly all the schools you listed there, so I really don’t feel I should discuss this issue. As for Stanford’s “liberalness” it is pretty liberal, but more lazy liberal than anything else. As with most top schools, the majority of the student body is liberal, and you’d find that at virtually every other school on your list. Of course, apply to other schools, but I’d say Stanford really fits what you’re looking for. Also, remember that I’m not biased at all… ;)</p>