[CaliNative]

This list is all about research and publications, nothing about quality of teaching and undergraduate education. Highly ranked research universities, especially the large public ones, often short change undergraduate education. You are instructed in large lecture halls, often by teaching assistants (graduate students) or green assistant professors rather than tenured professors. You have little contact with professors (especially in your freshman and sophomore introductory classes) unless you make an effort to attend office hours. These large public research universities are usually poor for undergrads, but great for grad students on Ph.D tracks.

Exceptions: great for smart undergrads are small or medium-sized, private top ranked research universities like Cal.Tech, MIT, Princeton, Harvard or Stanford where student/faculty ratios are much lower and even undergrads actually interact with exceptional professors. If you get picked to attend one of these, and get a free ride, accept.

Next best or maybe just as good--if not accepted by one of the above, consider small private colleges with exceptional undergraduate programs, and small classes and great profs. Places like Oberlin, Beloit, the Claremont Colleges (Pomona College, Harvey Mudd, etc.). I agree with some of the above comments Rice U. is terrific. An off beat but exceptional college is the one in the Saline Valley of CA profiled on 60 Minutes last week. Ranching, farming and great education. Genius students.