Hey OP, thanks for asking this question! Happiness was one of the most important factors for me in picking a school, since I prioritize my mental health and overall well-being over anything else. I was fortunate to receive acceptances to several schools, including most of the "T10" schools. While I don't think anyone should pick a school based purely on ranking or prestige, my experiences at Second Looks convinced me that there are definitely advantages associated with "top" academic schools that translate to overall higher levels of happiness. There are certain factors I think most students would agree contribute to happiness and are not unique to any one school: for example, having unranked P/F is imperative, not only for reducing the stress of classes, but also for eliminating the need for intra-class competition. Optional attendance is also a plus, since you may find that you learn better from watching recordings and reading the texts rather than going to class. Less common factors that stood out to me were having extremely flexible curriculums, longitudinal mentorship, and extracurricular opportunities. I found these advantages to be most obvious at Stanford, which I found to have (by far) the happiest and most well-adjusted students. While I'm certainly biased now, I found Stanford students to be the most well-rounded and personable, while also thriving academically and professionally. Contrary to popular belief, the Stanford curriculum is not based around churning out academic physicians, but rather churning out exceptional, passionate people. The administration will support students in whatever projects they have, as long as they are passionate and serious in their efforts. The faculty and staff seemed genuinely invested in the students' interests, and seemed to be very close with the graduating class. The curriculum is extremely flexible and open: no class on Wednesdays, the option to enroll part time (only class 2 days a week!!), the ability to step into or out of the medical curriculum at any time (within reason), the option to take any other Stanford class (i.e. from the business school, design school, even undergraduate school), and STEP1 can be taken anytime before completing their first year of clerkships. I couldn't find this level of flexibility and personal support anywhere else, even in the "T10". Stanford also doesn't have AOA, so there is no reason to worry about distinguishing yourself from classmates. The prestige of the school essentially ensures a strong match, as long as you put in the work and follow the advice of your advisors (who you start meeting with in your first year). Finally, you can't beat Stanford's weather or the beauty of their campus <3. I know I sound like I'm being paid to peddle Stanford lol, but I truly fell in love with the school.
