I am currently struggling with making a decision on college. As of now I have been admitted to two schools and wait listed to one. The first school I was admitted to is rather low ranking -roughly 350- nationally, but in the region it is rather respected. The second school is much higher at about 80 nationwide. The school that I was wait-listed to is top 50. However, it is doubtful that I will get off the list. I am a biology major and will be going to graduate school and possibly professional school. So, my question is how important is the rank of the school? If it is not nearly as important I will choose the lower ranked school because overall I like the school more and would fit the mold much better than the other school. However, if rank is important then I will go to the other. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
It is impossible to help you if you merely state the rankings of the schools you got into. You could be very successful at any one of those schools if you work hard.
My suggestion would be choose where you will be the happiest and is the most affordable. A school can be lower ranked nationally but have a very strong program for one field or another. Have you visited each school?
I have visited both schools. I felt like I would fit in better at the lower ranked school. However, I want to know how important a high ranking and rigorous college is for graduate school.
For A graduate school the UG school is much less important than grades and GREs (or equivalent scores). For some specific graduate schools your UG may come into play, but I don’t think #80 will be on that list.
Can you name the two schools?
Depending on the ranking list used, #80 could be TCU, UCSC, U of Iowa, Marquette…
Names of schools would help OP, so you can look at the specific programs in your major.
I would choose the higher rank one… it always help to have a better ranked school in your resume. Unless it is totally not a fit for you.
Re #6: Or, if ~80 refers to all schools nationally, it could refer to Lehigh, UMiami, Southern Methodist, Bryn Mawr, St. John’s (MD), Wheaton (IL) . . .
It looks like one of the schools is Gustavus Adolphus, which is a good school. What is the other school? Gustavus has a good reputation in the Midwest, but as a smaller LAC, it is not as well known outside the region. It would be a good choice for a potential biology major. What did you like about each of the schools?
Iowa is the higher ranked school. I like the community and feel of Gustavus. However, academically Iowa is superior. Iowa would be okay, but the bigger universities are not my taste. If it means that my education and grad school chances will be better than I will choose Iowa.
Iowa would be okay but bigger universities are not my taste - I like the community and feel of Gustavus
Why assume that you well do just as well academically at a place that it doesn’t sound like you like - also how do you know what type and where you want to go to graduate school
Go to the place that makes you happy!
One is a LAC and the other a large public research institution - it’s like comparing apples and oranges. Both are comparably ranked (in their respective areas) by US News, if that is important to you. I don’t think either school has a leg up on prestige. Gustavus is pretty well regarded and send a high percentage of kids to grad school. What makes you think the academics of Iowa are superior?
How do the net costs compare? Is your family able to afford either?
Full disclosure - I am a big fan of LACs. Personally, I like the focus on the undergraduate student.
I would suggest you visit the schools again, if you can, and spend some time learning about their respective opportunities in the biology department, research opportunities and student outcomes.
Hmmm . . . Well, if you really prefer Iowa (#260), then you should choose it over the higher-ranked Gustavus Adolphus (#164).
(“The 610 Smartest Colleges,” Business Insider.)
Ranking isn’t important to graduate school at all. Professors who admit for grad school don’t care about rankings; they care about the reputation and overall rigor of your undergrad preparation, but you can get a good education and get into grad school from Gustavus Adolphus pretty easily.
Gustavus has a good reputation for science and biology, and academically it’s at least as good as Iowa, especially for the first two years. Its record of sending students on to professional/graduate school is actually better, per capita (ratio) than Iowa. Since it’s cheaper and you like it better, it should be a no-brainer. 
Go where you’ll be happier and in less debt!