<p>Such good advice from juilliet and momwaiting, however I’d add a little different advice (and take with a grain a salt as I am likely less qualified to give it.) Do try to go to the best school you can get into, with financial considerations being high priority as well. I really think that my daughter’s application was helped enormously by the reputation of her department, and the reccommendation letters from well known professors who knew her well. She was likely mostly helped (for PhD apps) by the ready access to research opportunities and by going to a school who awards grants for such opportunities in summer. REU’s are competitive, so if your school also funds such research, that’s a bonus. But I agree that in any case you have to be a go-getter and establish relationships and seek opportunitites.</p>
<p>If you are looking at 2 different schools, and you know your major, find out the departmental reputation. You can email admissions (not in the busy season) or the department and find out about admit rates to grad school. Search the websites to see what the professors in the department are working on. The email to the department can ask about research for undergraduates. It may be that the less well known school has the stronger department.</p>
<p>Don’t get your sights set on any particular grad program when you are in high school. When you are nearing application time, that’s when you look for the school and professors you want to work with, who specialize in the work that interests you as a 20 or 21 year old near college grad. Don’t waste time researching this now. Work on your current schoolwork and your undergrad application essays instead. Grad school admissions are extremely competitive, so you will want to focus on your gpa, as well said above. But you will also want to focus, when you are more informed, on schools where you are a good fit with the department or particular professors. And where your yet to be determined specialization is an asset.</p>