Easing the Journey

Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You by Jeffrey Selingo
Scribner, January 1, 2025

In his follow-up to the popular Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, Jeffrey Selingo, author and cohost of the Future U podcast, continues to give color to the college admissions conversation. In 10 easy-to-digest chapters, he explains why college applicants should not put all or any of their eggs in the elite college basket and instead owe it to themselves to explore schools that not only want them but can also fund their tuition. Selingo makes a compelling case not for rejecting, but for redefining, the contours of the so-called dream school. “We approach the college search as if there is a dream school, a single choice, a perfect match for us. There isn’t,” he points out, noting that well beyond the Ivy League, the little three, and the SEC there are 3900 colleges and universities in the United States including two-year and specialized institutions. Rather than break their hearts over impossible odds or break the proverbial bank trying to pay for a top-tier degree, Selingo counsels high school seniors to look for schools that actually fit their personalities, interests, and how they like and need to learn. In the book’s appendix, Selingo offers a list of 75 of what he calls “The New Dream Schools” – colleges that are both excellent and accessible. Written primarily for parents seeking to support their children through the increasingly stressful college admissions process, Dream School is also useful for college counselors, teachers, and school leaders responsible for shepherding students on their way to higher ed and easing, whenever possible, their journey.