<p>The 8 schools you have chosen are super competitive, but have surprisingly little else in common. Are you choosing them for their competitiveness alone? I would suggest you think more about whether you want a large school, a small school, a focus on certain subjects, arts, athletics? If you will fly in some are a lot easier to get to than others (and 6 times a year spending a day traveling each way eats up time with family fast). Visit a few, they are very different communities. </p>