EDIT:
Already got a deserved bashing... so I'm trimming this down. THANK YOU for your opinions!
To put this in perspective: never even heard of Stanford until 8th grade or so... was always raised with East Coast Ivy-worship, and never got to attend one for various reasons.
I tell my friends I'm into SLS: "uh... why go out west for school?"
I don't have much to gauge this wonderful opportunity. No lawyers in the family or friends' families. I'm coming from small-town mentality I guess. Anyway, time to send the deposit soon.