Best School

There is one criteria you do not mention. That is the quality of the field you are going into. In other words, if you are going into sports medicine, you will want a school which has a strong sports medicine program. (I don't know an example, unfortunately). If you're wanting to go into journalism or broadcasting, then Columbia University in New York, Northwestern in Chicago, University of Missouri in Columbia MO, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale IL would be the top choices. Medical schools...a different grouping....computer technology, a different group. Engineering - Virginia Tech, MIT, UMR, or U of I. Anyway, that would be one of the major questions I would try to answer in considering a school. Then once you have a list of good schools for your major (and maybe your minor, too), then you can explore the enrollment requirements, costs and financial aid availability, diversity of student population and faculty, student life opportunities, alumni.