Able to pay the in-state cost of UT, or able to full-pay for OOS publics like Rutgers (out of all the public flagships in the US, why Rutgers as your one OOS pick?), and able either to full-pay or to pay what the financial aid formulae dictate at schools like Rice, Vandy, and Penn? (Although these are likely out of reach, and schools that are within reach will tend to be less generous, if need-based aid is part of the picture at all.)
Will you earn the full IB diploma?
What future career do you have in mind? You mentioned shadowing a PA - is that your goal?
Do you prefer larger schools, or are you just less aware of your options at smaller colleges? I too thought of Trinity in San Antonio as a more reasonable reach.