New "Dream Schools" from Selingo's new book ...

[Anonymous]

Ha.

He can’t sell books by saying the same stuff over and over….same reason USNWR shakes things up occasionally.

[Anonymous]

Author interview about the book

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/10/nx-s1-5332191/jeff-selingo-on-his-new-book-dream-school-finding-the-college-thats-right-for-you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG! We don’t need another batch of random school names! People are so stupid to spend time on this.

It's a well-informed list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UCs out of state are not affordable or worth the cost.

That's true, but a huge number of kids live in CA and can get the in-state tuition. I think the idea is that these are UCs outside the usual suspects that still offer a great educational experience and good value. The whole point is to stop fixating on Berkeley/UCLA/USD and instead find more attainable schools that still offer a really great education and good job prospects.

And there are other schools on the list with more affordable out of state tuition. Like Colorado State, which is 33k OOS (and an incredible steal at 12k for in state). I know several alums and think it is truly a hidden gem for people outside CO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this basically a list of very solid colleges and universities that aren't super selective or very expensive?

yes. nothing impressive.

Agree. Nothing impressive about a NOVA kid attending W&M, VT Engineering, UMD CS… /s

Guys. The point is not to "be impressive." Literally, the point is to find a good fit without breaking the bank.

+1

exactly the point is literally sailing over the heads of many on this board lol.

Funny how these folks are so dense yet they think their offspring have a shot at T20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this basically a list of very solid colleges and universities that aren't super selective or very expensive?

yes. nothing impressive.

Agree. Nothing impressive about a NOVA kid attending W&M, VT Engineering, UMD CS… /s

Great and impressive when a UMC MD kid attends UMD CS on merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this basically a list of very solid colleges and universities that aren't super selective or very expensive?

yes. nothing impressive.

I think the point of the book is that students, and parents especially, are looking at college search the wrong way. People try to get into the "best" college they can get into, without critically assessing fit or value or colleges that can provide both but aren't even on their radar. The book starts with a profile of student who got into Columbia but was unhappy and did not find the student culture a fit at all, he ended up transferring to University of Minnesota, where he did find better fit and vibe had more content and less stressed students. Top ranked college is not equal to happiness. We all know this but he shares some powerful stories and data. He also shares that there isn't enough space in top colleges and they don't give enough aid, so many more of these other schools should be considered. Like a person who got into Bowdoin with zero aid and ended up another college with nearly full aid and lots of oter perks.

but for this guy - full pay at Columbia vs in state MN is a jump ball imo.

but some of this seemed like, saving 10k a year for a WAY lower ranked, fewer resourced college

The first profile wasn't just trading down for financial saving, it was about getting a better fit. The student felt stressed and isolated in Columbia's grinder culture. The student said he regretted not thinking about fit earlier, was obsessed only with getting into the highest ranked school he could get into.

Gladwell writes about being a big fish in a small pond vs having imposter syndrome at a super competitive school in one of his books. Same idea. I think it matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:List of new "Dream Schools". He adds more detail and "stand-out factor" for each in his new book:

Large Leaders:
Arizona State University (AZ)
Case Western Reserve University (OH)
Clemson University (SC)
Colorado State University (CO)
Drexel University (PA)
Fordham University (NY)
Howard University (DC)
Indiana University - Bloomington (IN)
Miami University of Ohio (OH)
Michigan State University (MI)
North Carolina State University (NC)
Oregon State University (OR)
Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
Rutgers University (NJ)
Southern Methodist University (TX)
Spelman College (GA)
Syracuse University (NY)
Texas A&M University (TX)
University of Alabama (AL)
University of California, Davis (CA)
University of California, San Diego (CA)
University of Connecticut (CT)
University of Delaware (DE)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (IL)
University of Iowa (IA)
University of Kentucky (KY)
University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MA)
University of Minnesota (MN)
University of Missouri - Columbia (MO)
University of Oklahoma (OK)
University of Pittsburgh (PA)
University of Utah (UT)
Virginia Tech (VA)
College of William & Mary (VA)

This is a good list of schools that are rising in demand. I know several kids in our school whose parents say they are really happy and thriving at the above schools I BOLDED above.


I also hear great things about IU-Bloomington. And had a kid who did a summer language intensive there and would consider it for grad school. Pitt is great and well known on this board. NC State is NC’s solution to VT and excellent in some areas of engineering. Apparently a gorgeous new campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "hidden value" list is a list of schools I would not spend my money on. If those are my kids options, in-state it is.

Isn't the assumption that those would be nearly free due to merit? Otherwise, I 100% agree with you.

I suspect that they get down to State costs with merit, not nearly free. There are schools on that list that are far better than most state schools.

Such as? I would choose one of our excellent state schools any day over that random list of "hidden value" schools.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess it’s a good list for those looking for massive merit aid. I think the schools are FINE. As in there is nothing wrong with them. There’s also nothing massively impressive or redeeming or unique about any of them. Many are literally interchangeable. In which case why bother CHOOSING a school at all- just go in state.

That's exactly how I feel about SLACs - totally interchangeable. And I attended one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:List of new "Dream Schools". He adds more detail and "stand-out factor" for each in his new book:

Large Leaders:
Arizona State University (AZ)
Case Western Reserve University (OH)
Clemson University (SC)
Colorado State University (CO)
Drexel University (PA)
Fordham University (NY)
Howard University (DC)
Indiana University - Bloomington (IN)
Miami University of Ohio (OH)
Michigan State University (MI)
North Carolina State University (NC)
Oregon State University (OR)
Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
Rutgers University (NJ)
Southern Methodist University (TX)
Spelman College (GA)
Syracuse University (NY)
Texas A&M University (TX)
University of Alabama (AL)
University of California, Davis (CA)
University of California, San Diego (CA)
University of Connecticut (CT)
University of Delaware (DE)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (IL)
University of Iowa (IA)
University of Kentucky (KY)
University of Maryland, College Park (MD)
University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MA)
University of Minnesota (MN)
University of Missouri - Columbia (MO)
University of Oklahoma (OK)
University of Pittsburgh (PA)
University of Utah (UT)
Virginia Tech (VA)
College of William & Mary (VA)

This is a good list of schools that are rising in demand. I know several kids in our school whose parents say they are really happy and thriving at the above schools I BOLDED above.

You forgot quite a few others. Many/most of those schools are in huge demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:90% of the students fit at 90% of the schools.

Unless you are talking about super specialized universities like say MIT or Caltech, most students fit into any college once they have a rough idea of the major and size of college. Maybe urban or a remote college town and even this most students can do fine at either.

What else is there?

The focus on fit is just a lot of busy work to create mental diversion from the stress of applying to selective colleges.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this basically a list of very solid colleges and universities that aren't super selective or very expensive?

Here's the blurb off the back. I just ordered it.

"The companion book to Who Gets In and Why shifts the spotlight from how colleges pick students to how students can better pick colleges.

Getting into prestigious schools has become a kind of lottery. “Plan A” may work out, but increasingly it isn’t. In Dream School, Jeff urges families to ditch the “Top 25 or bust” mindset and look beyond the usual suspects. Hidden-gem schools with incredible value and rich opportunities are waiting to be discovered. 

Backed by unparalleled research—and an eye-opening survey of more than 3,000 parents—Dream School reveals what really matters in a college: strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging. 

To help students find their perfect match, Jeff highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy those priorities."

Steven’s is notorious for being too expensive. Bizarre that he would include it as accessible and affordable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this basically a list of very solid colleges and universities that aren't super selective or very expensive?

yes. nothing impressive.

I think the point of the book is that students, and parents especially, are looking at college search the wrong way. People try to get into the "best" college they can get into, without critically assessing fit or value or colleges that can provide both but aren't even on their radar. The book starts with a profile of student who got into Columbia but was unhappy and did not find the student culture a fit at all, he ended up transferring to University of Minnesota, where he did find better fit and vibe had more content and less stressed students. Top ranked college is not equal to happiness. We all know this but he shares some powerful stories and data. He also shares that there isn't enough space in top colleges and they don't give enough aid, so many more of these other schools should be considered. Like a person who got into Bowdoin with zero aid and ended up another college with nearly full aid and lots of oter perks.

but for this guy - full pay at Columbia vs in state MN is a jump ball imo.

but some of this seemed like, saving 10k a year for a WAY lower ranked, fewer resourced college

The first profile wasn't just trading down for financial saving, it was about getting a better fit. The student felt stressed and isolated in Columbia's grinder culture. The student said he regretted not thinking about fit earlier, was obsessed only with getting into the highest ranked school he could get into.

Gladwell writes about being a big fish in a small pond vs having imposter syndrome at a super competitive school in one of his books. Same idea. I think it matters.

I think it matters too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "hidden value" list is a list of schools I would not spend my money on. If those are my kids options, in-state it is.

Isn't the assumption that those would be nearly free due to merit? Otherwise, I 100% agree with you.

I suspect that they get down to State costs with merit, not nearly free. There are schools on that list that are far better than most state schools.

Such as? I would choose one of our excellent state schools any day over that random list of "hidden value" schools.
DP

+1