<p>I think @happy1 pretty much nailed it for the non-academic aspects of schools. I think one also wants to look for schools that have a peer group that matches up well in intelligence and academic accomplishment. That falls under academics, I suppose, but not in the sense of the academics the school itself offers. It is more about the intellectual atmosphere of the school, and also how much your peers will force you to work hard because they do such good work.</p>
<p>IMO, the ability to get a great undergraduate education from the professors is similar at any of a hundred schools or more in the USA. They are competent in their subjects, and teach from the same or similar texts, and the schools will have lab facilities to teach freshman chem, etc. What really makes the experience at school X different than that at school Y are the factors mentioned by happy1, as well as the quality of your peers.</p>