anyone interested in talking offline about how to approach ranking programs? would really appreciate help> same, but I have trust issues so probs gonna talk to my friends =/ > I can say what I am doing here: huge emphasis on geography (opportunities for SO, proximity to family). Considering cities balancing rent with how fun the city is, and need for a car (avoiding needing a car). That said, importantly the people matter. Reputation is one of the things I am least concerned about, but of course if I am between UCSF and a small community program close to home, it's not that simple. Mathematically we can weigh X > Y > Z, but if the difference in Z (the least prioritized variable) is huge between institutions, while the X and Y variables are somewhat more comparable, or smaller in difference, then sometimes the LEAST important variable can outweigh the more important variables (Unless you have a hard stop, like absolutely not moving far from family). So there actually is a bit of logic to it. Basically you need to determine if there are ANY hard stops (often this is a geography hard-no). If not hard stops or absolutely most important variables at any cost to the other variables, then you need to determine the relative importance of the other variables you are considering them, then apply a rating for each program in that category, then compare. Once you have a rough list compiled, you can tweak the list based on which places you feel best about once they are on paper. Btw, I am not suggesting you write out a formula, this is just how I think through things in my head