<p>yea I know, I kinda should've made certain decisions before applying to these very different universities, but well, I didn't, and now I have basic problems about location, size, flexibility and prestige..</p>
<p>I'm planning to pursue an academic career, so a big, well-funded research university (McGill or UVa) seems to be a good choice. But then, those big schools give me little chance to interact with the professors, and I will need certain recommendations from them when applying to graduate school 4 years later. Besides, I'm not the overly-competetive type that would be comfortable in a population of 20,000.</p>
<p>And then there's the prestige issue. I know it shouldn't be a major concern, but it might turn out to be important when looking for a job. I honestly don't know if it makes sense turning down offers from the likes of McGill, Wash-U or UVa to go to Connecticut or Rochester on the basis of population.</p>
<p>Another concern is location. Wash-U is an amazing university, but it's in St Louis, Missouri. It looks like the middle of nowhere on the map. I'll be coming back to Istanbul quite often in the breaks and transportation will be an important issue for me. Plus, I live in one of the most lively and metropolitan cities of the world and I don't know if I can easily adapt to a small and not-so-diverse city with a not-so-lively social and cultural scene. But then, I don't know if that should be an issue when picking out universities either.</p>
<p>I'm really confused at this point, so I'd appreciate any and all help.. :)</p>