<p>If you are reasonably certain about your major, prioritize based on how good the school is in your major, rather than nebulous overall rankings. But also consider other factors like cost, non-academic fit issues, etc… With small schools, it is especially important to get academic and non-academic fit right, because it is less likely that they will have “something for everyone” (big schools are more likely to be an okay fit, even if they won’t necessarily be a great fit).</p>