<p>Check out and see if you agree with this lineup:</p>
<p>1) quality of education (methods, class size, etc.) and offerings (strong depts./core reqs.) - Venn diagram sometimes overlaps with "prestige" - faciliates the quest for truth, beauty, and The Good
2) placement record for grad school/prof. school - including "prestige" - the outcome measure, which some would argue should be #1 - practicality intrudes
3) connections for career launching - can be just as strong at state schools or in certain departments in schools with indifferent ranking placement, but also often correlates with "prestige" - greasing the wheels for adult life - practicality again
4) "fit" - in my book, it is "everything else" that tangibly and intangibly contributes to the sense of being comfortable in a situation - including location, matching ECs, size, state, 'style' vibe of the student body, peer academic qualifications, residences, etc. etc. - a product of the student's very reasonable desire to achieve a rewarding overall life experience during college.</p>