Not yet mentioned is your level of demonstrated interest. Have you visited any of these schools? That could be a key ingredient in answering the underlying question, “Why here?” My son is a senior this year and because we live within driving distance of Chicago we took the opportunity last fall to register and make formal visits to both Northwestern and UChicago. My son walked away from UC and decided the vibe was wrong and therefore not worth the time and effort to apply…especially knowing their essays are quirky and take extra time.
Lots of schools like to talk about the collaborative learning environment and describe themselves as “student-focused” but once you visit a bunch of schools you’ll see that comes into sharper focus in some places more than others. So, I’d also take the time to examine what kind of learner you are? Do you thrive in a cut throat atmosphere or do you want something more collegial?
At the end of the day, you need to assess fit. Just because you’ll thrive academically doesn’t mean you’ll be happy spending the next four years of your life there. Make sure you do that and can articulate it.