Warelin

I think that's an important distinction to make. The makeup of an applicant pool will differ per school. And we also know that some programs are stronger in certain fields even if they are ranked lower overall.

One of the topics that I frequently encounter is that some programs prefer applicants directly from the BA. A lot of websites don't give a directory of their graduate students. What schools prefer students directly from the BA? Is there a way to do more research into this?

I think you need to consider the reasons you're getting turned down on a case by case basis. 
Did you ask the faculty who told you that you weren't ready why they thought you weren't ready? 
What about the other excuses? In my experience, faculty only make excuses when they don't feel they can write a good letter for the student. 
Have you sat down with any of your faculty and asked them to help you figure out your weak areas, or where you could improve?

I'd say visit the schools but make your decisions as quickly as you can afterward. Ask yourself how likely it is you're going to choose one of your options over another. 
Last year when I applied, I quickly turned down programs (within like two days of being accepted) since I knew I had 3 top options and definitely wouldn't be attending the others. The programs seemed very appreciative to get such a quick reply, and of course I highlighted how honored I was to be accepted, emphasized that now the next lucky applicant could get some good news, etc. etc. so as not to be insulting. I narrowed it down to 2 programs and visited both and I had AGONIZED over which school to pick for months. They were pretty evenly matched. So, before I even flew back from visiting the second school, I said, well fuck it. I'm going to make my decision now instead of going back and forth until the deadline and I did, and I notified my choice that I would be accepting before I had even left the other school's visit. It really made me feel more peaceful. 
 
Did I make the right choice? I have no idea. I'll never know. But I did lessen the agonizing and that paid off, and I lessened the anxiety of people on waitlists, so that was a good thing IMO. 

Oh no problem! I'm not sure how Rutgers uses the GRE scores, but the only "good" part of the score that I had was the verbal. Both my quantitative, and probably more importantly, analytical writing scores were also abysmal, so I wouldn't necessarily write Rutgers off because of it. (My GRE lit was also quite laughable!)
 
The only thing about UConn that I know about is Jean Marsden, but really it's just the name that I've heard tossed about. I don't really know anything about the specifics of the program or the 18th C concentration, sorry!

If Penn is the best program fit for you, go to Penn. If there's another school with a better fit, go to it.
Besides fit, funding matters. Are you comfortable with the stipend they provide when compared to your current lifestyle?
Just as important: which schools could you see yourself devoting the next half-full decade at?

A bit late, but I presume new readers will find this useful:
 
I am happy with my landlord, a small company called Capstone Property Management (Dempsey Real Estate). You probably have to dig a little to find what they are offering - I got mine word of mouth.
 
From looking around town over 2 years, I can say that the houses and apartments run by Delview look the worst. Sealy is a big corporate apartment management firm - they have strict rules and relatively high rates, but seem to operate nice properties.
 
I moved here from Austin, so I'm a bit disappointed in the night life. That said, there are plenty of places where non-cis patrons can feel comfortable. The Alcove, Egan's, and Mellow Mushroom are three places where my gay/bi friends gather, and there is one gay bar, Icon, that actually has a drag show on Saturday nights, followed by a dance party.
 
The campus has an active Allies program, and has been installing non-gendered bathrooms as they remodel buildings and build new ones. Hope that helps
 
Side note for those considering the University of Alabama and the city of Tuscaloosa:
 
Neighborhoods:
There are 9 recognized neighborhoods. If you want to get by without a car and walk everywhere, your best chances are to get a job on/near University Boulevard. The shops next to the University are commonly referred to "the strip" and it has a grocery store, restaurants, pizzerias, a hair salon and pubs. Unfortunately, these apartments tend to be smaller but you can often get a good price if you have a roommate.

Southeast Tuscaloosa is where the Arboretum is. Many runners and dog owners frequent here.
North of the River are a few apartments and golf clubs. Nothing here that I really could recommend that another neighborhood couldn't offer. Costs are higher and traffic can be bad due to it being mostly families.

There are a lot of things going on in the Forest Lake neighborhood. It's about 2-3 miles to campus. It's walkable but a bike would be recommended.

East Central & University is where most of the undergrads live. Graduates tend to live in or around Forest Lake or in or around Northport. Northport is smaller but has a small town charm in its downtown district.
Realtors:
H.A. Edwards (http://www.haedwards.com/)
Sealy (http://www.sealyrealty.com/)
Duckworth Morris (http://duckworth.com/)
Other than that: Yes, football season is really crazy but it could be a really good time to get groceries if you don't care for Football. Roll tide.