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<p>Right. But which differences really make a difference, for the outcomes one desires?</p>
<p>One take-away from the American Institute of Physics literature (cited above) is that you don’t necessarily need to attend one of the “top 5” or “top 10” to achieve those outcomes. Look at a larger set of schools across several categories (big, small, public, private) before deciding just what you want.</p>
<p>Anyway, even the best students face stiff competition for admission to the “top” schools.</p>