[arcanus]

> startups, research abroad, "choose your own adventure" style careers

I'd add scientific research experience. I had a professor who I worked for and gave me research experience. I was meeting with him 1-1 as if I was a graduate student of his at my top-25 undergraduate university. I also got a publication out of it. This gave me a huge leg up in my graduate applications for PhD, and it helped me determine that was something I was interested in to start with.

That sort of very personal relationship is much harder to find at the big state schools.

[got2surf]

That's a great point. One of my favorite parts of college was small research-based classes with 10-15 undergrads/grad students. The level of personal interaction and feedback from professors was the most valuable part.

That being said, I was fortunate enough to have similar experiences re: research at the state school as well (a professor who went out of his way to mentor me, leading to a few publications). It was definitely harder to find (because of how many other students professors at big state schools have to deal with), but it was more a function of professors' time than their willingness.