One mistake that many people make is to choose a school based on one specific characteristic. For example, choosing a school that has a superb journalism program. If you are interested in journalism then of course, this should be a major consideration, however, it should NOT be the only consideration. If I have learned one thing from my first two years in college, it is that things change, even things that I once considered set in stone.
I went into school thinking that I was going to be pre-med for sure. This all changed pretty quickly and I am now an economics major. Had I chosen a school based solely on its pre-med qualifications, you can imagine I might have been in a bit of a predicament. Instead, though, I chose a school that I loved for all of its qualities, from academics to athletic facilities to policies to overall vibe.
Making a list of qualities you seek in a school can be very helpful. In that way you can see the schools that appeal to you most overall, rather than just based on one thing. Not everything should be weighted the same, i.e. quality of dining hall might be ranked lower than quality of academics 
Try a point system with different categories having different maximum points based on their importance.
BRITTANY: Massachusetts-born Brittany is an Economics major, lacrosse player, and rising junior at Brown University. As our only recruited athlete, Brittany will provide an untraditional perspective to the college admissions process.