<p>My original question was more admissions oriented, in terms of differences in the qualities sought by each college–not to say that they are uniquely excellent. But now I am also wondering about the characteristics of students themselves, that would make them more comfortable at each, taken individually. I don’t ask this about Berkeley, UIUC, UNC, UVa, UMich, or Wisconsin, because I think that they ate large enough that a student could find compatible friends at any of them.</p>