@Coloradomama the grad student connection is one reason I encouraged my oldest to go to a large research university (STEM major). I had read a take by a PhD candidate who talked about how all of their grad school applicants come from LACs because the LAC students have never met real grad students in STEM and don’t understand the poor prospects for finding jobs in research, how hard grad school life is, etc. If you meet grad students as an undergrad it’s easier to get a sense of what things are and to know whether it will be the right path.