One of the best pieces of advice we got up front was to not be too hard on criteria up front. Definitely have priorities and considerations (like amount of dance, location, etc), but cast a wide net.
We learned that regardless of reputation or info available on the web, that personal interaction is a powerful way to discern fit and it will impact how you feel about them and they you. You can take a harder look after you go thru auditions and based on your acceptances. Vetting too hard early might mean counting out an option that might work for you. Also, given the extreme competition/selectiveness it’s only so much in your hands at the front end at least!