<p>After a tour of Harvard (I have been in Cambridge/around campus before, but never took a tour), I absolutely fell in love with it. I realized that what I am really looking for is a school with a culture that really surrounds the students. I noticed this at Harvard, even though it was so close to a very big city, which is ideal for me. However, I think the whole student-focused experience is more important to me than being near a city. In other words, I would rather go to Dartmouth, which has the student-y vibe and is very rural, than NYU, which has an entirely different vibe but is in a city.</p>
<p>Are there any colleges on my list that are really not student-centric, and are more focused on the surrounding city?</p>
<p>Also, do any of the colleges on my list do a great job of striking the city/student balance quite well?</p>