<p>"(according to the Princeton Review "often/sometimes prefer" section)"</p>
<p>The Princeton Review has decided to sacrifice accuracy in order to gain...um...well we don't know quite yet. But their numbers (or ambiguous descriptions) aren't very reliable. That being said, what you said is probably true.</p>
<p>PatientlyWaiting,</p>
<p>the top 100 list doesn't cut it for me. i'd have to go to SUNY Binghamton. but that's just me. some LACs are better than the top 100 ntl universities list.</p>
<p>but i totally agree with location being an extremely imp. factor.</p>
<p>The right fit between a particular student and a particular school.</p>
<p>I'm one of those people who has no problem throwing off a college I've fallen in love with when I find it doesn't meet one of my requirements. First, it has to be in the midwest or northeast, or somewhere where snow is very prevelant, and I can't do rural. Secondly, they MUST have my major, and I can't settle for less. Thirdly, they must not be stingy with merit aid/fin. aid. I am not in the position to pay a lot, and I've come to recognize this fact. These are by far the most important factors, both in selecting and choosing where I'll accept</p>
<p>oh wow, that sounds basically like me. except not midwest for me, but all of the above are like my requirements. lotsa money, no nearby farms, and my major. perfect.</p>
<p>Taken in its totality you should know what's good for you. Not Prestige, location, climate etc.
If you don't have the wherewithall to make an intuitive+objective judgement you are not mature enough to be left alone to make the decision. </p>
<p>A little sincerity might be in order.</p>
<p>Take care of your self, not your image.</p>
<p>The importance of location is WAY, WAY underrated. I lived in a small college town with only about 150,000 people without a car, and I spent hundreds of hours stuck at bus stops. It took 60-120 minutes to drop my laundry to a cleaner and come back home. If you grew up with subway/rail systems or don't drive, be sure to apply only to colleges located in large cities! Even if the academic quality of the college is good, if you need to spend 2 hours just for getting food each day, no wonder it affects your academic performance. And too little entertainment can also lower your grades.</p>
<p>^ Definitely have to agree with the location bit. Local cities and university cultures are often highly correlated. As well as career, research, internship, permanent opportunities as well...as well as personal growth and happiness...</p>
<p>In response to Ubermensch on the first page, I hate Harvard. There are state schools that I would choose over Harvard, because I'm not the type of person who would attend school there. I hate Harvard and all it stands for. I think the most important factor is social environment, and whether you want to attend a party school, or a school where nothing ever happens.</p>
<p>Sports and athletics.</p>
<p>Yeah, I said it.</p>
<p>How about it looks good for a job I want after high school (like Lockheed Martin or NASA) or that probably goes along with prestige and major.</p>
<p>The main factor should just be "Can I picture myself here for 4 years?" I mean truthfully, deep down everyone knows the answer to that question. I think it's so important to have at least 1 safety or more if financial concerns play in. Even at your safety, can you picture yourself spending 8 semesters or 12 quarters there?</p>
<p>I really think fit is the most important factor in choosing a college, and that comprises an amalgam of different characteristics about a school. Each campus has its own distinct atmosphere that's difficult to quantify, but can make all the difference in your overall college experience.</p>
<p>For a lot of people, the Ivy allure is irresistible!!...it gleams like gold in a pirate's eyes. Many adults I know feel that having an Ivy League education can make a profound difference in the future, and will unlock the doors to prosperity and success.</p>
<p>"I really think fit is the most important factor in choosing a college, and that comprises an amalgam of different characteristics about a school. Each campus has its own distinct atmosphere that's difficult to quantify, but can make all the difference in your overall college experience."</p>
<p>That's....basically everything on that list.</p>
<p>What I meant was that I don't think any of the factors on the list can be universally given the same weight, since they all play a different part in the campus atmosphere.</p>
<p>good vibes is most important. good vibes can improve your maximum potential.</p>
<p>if you are of high talent, you need a nurturing, fun good vibes kind of environment to make sure you reach your potential.</p>
<p>Definitely Prestige, I mean your gonna want to be proud when someone asks u where u went after. Come on, I would much rather say Yale or Harvard then, University of Tennessee.</p>
<p>FrankSwim</p>
<p>what if the difference was going to Tennessee and having a good time, doing well, and coming out on top, or going to Harvard, having hardly any friends, come out in the bottom tenth with a case of depression. You might quickly reconsider.</p>
<p>Hey! My boyfriend is going to University of Tennessee (and then hopefully transferring to Duke). I have no doubt that he'll be accepted.</p>
<p>For me personally, it's what they offer as terms of major, location, and tuition/finaid.
And I will throw off a school I love if it doesn't meet those three requirements. UNC-Chapel Hill met only the location, Berklee College of Music only met major, Savannah College of Art and Design met major and some of location. But Barton College met all three.</p>