<p>Um IBclass, I think you misunderstood my entire post.</p>
<p>Based on the responses on this forum, some would say Penn and Duke are more prestigious than Northwestern and therefore the OP should choose Penn/Duke. But why choose those 'more prestigious" schools over NU if they don’t offer what the OP would like to study (chemical engineering & nanotechnology)? NU was a good fit for me because it offered good interdisciplinary programs in my interest area (social sciences, journalism, education). The OP needs to think carefully about what he wants academically and socially. It doesn’t make sense to attend a school that doesn’t offer the program/department. But hey, that’s me. I also agree that the OP should do more research.</p>