<p>Cost is not a major factor for me. I am from NJ. I would like to go to a school that challenges me greatly. zapfino, I’m not sure what you mean by basic and applied ecology by your description, but my interests are in research of animals/ecosystems/living things and taking that knowledge and using it to possibly better those described groups. Is this more of a conservation interest? Or should I study the basis of such things (though biology and others) and then use that knowledge accordingly?</p>