So first off, for med school, the where likely doesn’t matter. Your GPA, MCAT, shadowing and more will. One might argue that going to a top school is harder because it will be harder to stand out.
But let’s tackle a few things - you like the open curriculum. So maybe Duke shouldn’t be #2. Maybe Rochester or Wes or Vassar or Grinnell or Hamilton should be with Kalamazoo as a safety.
On the flip side you mentioned sports and that’s not Brown or Emory. Maybe it’s Alabama, which has the McCullough Pre Medical Scholars. Or Va Tech, which has shadowing possibilities on campus. And there’s no bigger cult - I say in a good way - then Texas A&M.
So I know you are thinking - why go to a lesser school and not saying you need to - but think about your four years. Each day. Every day. A ‘rank’ doesn’t bring happiness.
So look - where do Drs at some of the top hospitals do their undergrad.
At Vanderbilt’s Hospital, schools like Ole Miss, UMass, Sewanee, UF, Murray State, N Illinois, Kansas, Luther, Lipscomb, OK State. And yes the UNCs, Lafayettes and Vandy’s of the world too - but not by and large.
For Duke Hospital, Tuskegee, UCF, Muhlenberg, Minnesota - that’s four of the first five. The 5th being Dartmouth.
The next resident year - Temple, FSU, Cornell, Gannon, Earlham, and Campbell.
The point is - the big name isn’t impressing the top med schools or teaching hospitals.
But you need to do well so find the right environment - whatever it is. All I see is you love very different reach schools and created a story for each that doesn’t necessarily jive.
You want to be happy to do best. And don’t forget while you have no cost concerns, med school is another $400k plus followed by poor earnings.
Make sure your family knows.
Good luck.