thanks bunderj & starsinnight...
as for my top-choice school i was talking about--when i went to interview, my prof and i went overtime talking, and he said he wanted to call me later that weekend on the phone to speak more. we spoke for an hour on the phone after our hour-long convo at the school. it was clear that he was also calling at least one other applicant after me because he told me he had to get off the phone for his next "phone appointment". but he ALSO told me that the director emailed him PERSONALLY to tell him how he thought i would be amazing for his lab--and how that was SO RARE. he also told me about the "amazing" feedback he got from the grad students. i mean, really?
and to further compound it and ask me that if they extended an offer, would i take it?
i just don't see the point in going that far with it, you know?