<p>“s in, don’t let it factor in to your decision at all. I guarantee you it will change. Pick a school based on the people you meet while visiting, student life, rumors (though to a lesser degree…but they’re usually true in part, so they have their uses), etc.”</p>
<p>That’s going too far, I think. How good a school’s programs are in my area of study probably would matter to me. For instance, if I had a strong preference for engineering, I would at least <em>factor</em> that in favor of Stanford. You can’t be sure, but hey, you can’t be sure of <em>anything</em> really. Taking an educated guess is a good idea, though I agree letting a math requirement or two turn one away from a school entirely when major could easily change within a year is a bad idea.</p>