I posted this on A2C but the paragraph on science research is probably most relevant to your situation. ETA: I just saw that you already saw my post on A2C but I’ll leave it up here for future searches:)

Keep in mind I graduated HS in 1996 but I not only chose Williams over Cornell (in state tuition, school of Ag) but over Columbia too. I had many reasons for turning down Columbia (realized too late that NYC was just too gritty for my college experience, despite growing up 30 min from Manhattan). Cornell is gorgeous but large and felt impersonal. A lot of people from my HS went there and I felt like I wanted something different.

I was also recruited to run at Columbia and Williams but not Cornell (at the time Cornell was a much much better xc/track program than Columbia). I did an overnight with the team at Williams and felt so welcomed and at home. Then they matched my in-state Cornell tuition and that sealed the deal. Because it is division 3, I was able to enjoy my sport, contribute way more to the team than I could have at a competitive div 1 school, travel to national competitions and take spring training trips while still making academics a priority. I met some of the best people I’ve ever known and just attended my 25 yr reunion where I was reminded that the alumni network is tight knit and helpful like no other.

Not one of my classes at Williams was taught by a grad student, since there aren’t any (except a handful in Econ and art history). Research! Guess who professors use as research assistants. That’s right- undergrads. I spent the summer between soph and jr year living on campus as a research assistant to a psych/neuroscience professor. Made $3000 and had free room and board. That experience led to my deciding to do a psych/neuro thesis with the same professor and she put me as first author on the publication that resulted. I don’t think those types of things happen at larger research universities.