Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You

by Jeffrey J. Selingo

From the New York Times bestselling author of Who Gets In and Why, a must-have playbook for families coping with a more stressful era of startling low admission rates and sky-high prices—one that widens the aperture beyond the Top 25 schools and connects students, parents, and counselors with quality, affordable choices.

Attending college has long been a rite of passage for millions of teens and a bedrock of the American dream. But that well-worn path has lately taken a wrong turn, denying admission even to super-achievers and putting intolerable stress on family finances. Now, in Dream School Jeffrey Selingo shifts the spotlight from how colleges pick students to how students can better pick colleges.

With test-optional policies and grade inflation leveling the playing field for applicants, getting into prestigious schools has become a kind of lottery. “Plan A” may work out, but increasingly it isn’t—so Selingo 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 3,500 parents—Dream School reveals what really matters in a strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging. To help students find their perfect match, Selingo highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy those priorities.

Organized into three easy-to-digest sections, Dream School explains why elite college degrees turn out to matter less than you think, why many parents and students are choosing value over prestige, and how to make sure the degree really pays off. In these pages, Selingo’s engaging style and expert insights turn what is often an unnavigable maze into a clear roadmap.

Destined to become the ultimate guide for families crossing the perilous college admissions landscape, Dream School isn’t just a book—it’s a lifeline for those who can find themselves trapped in an overwhelming process.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Education, Audiobook, College

352 pages, Hardcover

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

Jeff Selingo is the leading authority on higher education worldwide and editorial director of The Chronicle of Higher Education. He speaks on the topic often and appears regularly as an expert on radio and TV, including NPR, PBS, ABC, and CBS.

Reviews

[Christopher Febles · Rating 4 out of 5]

My nine-to-five and my side gig collide…

A seasoned, intelligent, professional expert on higher education gives us a well-researched reason to hope. Of course, the title is purposely (and cheekily) misleading. He’s not talking about sneaky ways of getting into a dream school. He’s talking about how to make (almost) any college a dream school. He’s talking about searching for not-so-hidden resources and opportunities at lesser-known schools, which should be any good student’s dream.

Selingo is rapidly becoming the voice of reason in this ever-more cutthroat business of college admissions. The theme of his work, including Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, is to come down from the heights of anxiety associated with something incredibly simple as continuing your education. And I can tell you: a nervous kid or parent can EASILY get swept up in that Oz-like twister of crushed dreams.



Reminiscent of Malcolm Gladwell, Selingo sets up each chapter with a real-life scenario to make his point. He introduces us to a Columbia kid who finds classes, professors, and research opportunities hard to acquire, so he transfers to a state school near home and gets what he needs. That point gets elaborated with facts, research, and perspective. As a college counselor, I’ve seen it myself: kid eschews an Ivy League college for a “where?” school, finds his niche, becomes the star he always wished he could be.

He makes lots of other points, among them the fact that the game is sorta rigged toward the ultra-rich. He seems to try to appeal to the econ-minded among us, pointing out the ROI on lesser colleges is still pretty good. And he says what I always do, even though (some) people hate me for it: when you apply to “competitive” colleges, most of the time you LOSE the competition. *waits for eggs to be thrown at him*



This hits home for me because my personal story fits nicely with this theme. Honors colleges change lives…it did for me! DM me if you’d like to hear it.

Another great salve, a beacon of optimism, from the best college admissions journalist out there.

[Francesca Morrissey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had great expectations for this book, but Selingo has totally turned into a one trick pony and his reliance on an absurd amount of surveys, studies and obscure data really takes away from what most people in the college process can and should focus on when researching colleges. The most valuable piece of this work is his list of 75 schools families should consider in lieu of highly rejective schools and as a college counselor for 15 years, those were schools I’d already been adding to my students’ lists. While there’s merit in this book for families new to the college search and admissions process, it doesn’t take the place of working with an independent counselor and for independent and school guidance and college counselors, it doesn’t offer anything new. In fact, some of its recommendations are already out-dated. This one definitely disappointed.

[Liz Gross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Selingo possesses a unique understanding of the business of higher education and the consumer perceptions of the industry. In this book, he makes a reasoned, incredibly well-researched argument for students and their families to make more rational college attendance choices while maximizing outcomes and minimizing cost. And, he includes a starter list of 75 “new dream schools” to help students get started on their journey. I have no doubt this book will contribute to an evolution of the college admissions marketplace, and a whole lot of myth busting.

This quote from chapter one sums up the calls to action he offers to admissions-seeking families and higher Ed leaders:

“When does this fascination with super-selective colleges—and getting into one—end, if it ever does? When will we come to understand how random it is, that getting in is truly like winning the lottery? When will we concede that colleges control the rules of the game and have no incentive to care about until we stop engaging with them?”

And if you look closely, you’ll find a Taylor Swift reference.

[Natalie Prokop · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mom of a senior in high school going through the college admissions process right now, the beginning of this book, which emphasizes how hard it is to get into top ranked colleges, even for excellent students, was a little stress- inducing. But the overall message that “Plan B” schools might actually be better for your child in the end, for a variety of reasons, is well-taken. I also appreciate his excellent list of underrated/“hidden gem” schools throughout the country, with detailed explanations, at the end. I’m glad I bought this book, so I can go back and revisit that list in the future.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a really mixed bag for me and I felt like the book itself struggled with mixed messaging. As someone who has worked in mostly higher ed for almost 20 years now and did get into my dream school I have to acknowledge my own background and also the changing landscape of admissions and cost of college over these years shapes my perspective.

Selingo points out the sharp increase in applications as students apply to more schools and the flood of data now available on colleges, their students, etc. and how this impacts the process often in unproductive ways. However, he then encourages you to dive into the data and focus on things like salary after graduation. I fundamentally disagree with that given not only the dubious state of the data in that regard but also in the idea that college is essentially job prep/training and we should be selecting where to go based on salary outcomes. I agree you should not be selecting a college that is wildly expensive if the student thinks they want a career that has a low earnings potential and the family can't or doesn't want to afford a more expensive college experience. The intense focus though on potential career outcomes before a student has even had the chance to attend college and see where their interests and strengths lie does a disservice to students and their families both. Parents I'm pleading with you to allow your student to explore --this obsession with business and engineering majors is not doing anyone any favors. The number of students I see that do terribly in those major classes but cling to remaining in the major due to family pressure and salary data is enormous. I'll break it to you---not only is the student not strong in those areas, they are unhappy doing the work and will undoubtedly do poorly in their job after college if they can even secure one in that field at all. Let your child explore, grow, and thrive! Selingo does say that students are twisting themselves into knots for majors they think will lead to perceived good jobs which actually leads to burnout and unhappiness but then he focuses on career and salary outcomes to a large degree elsewhere in the book.

I've only worked at R-1 institutions for the most part so I'm biased but some of the suggestions feel ridiculous and like the definition of the panicking class/helicopter parent. Perhaps these will work at small colleges but please don't try these at larger institutions:
-There is no way your tour guide will know anything about department job talks. Seriously. You could just look at who is listed as faculty on the department website and then see an online course schedule to see who's teaching if you are going to dive into it this deeply.
-Absolutely do not reach out to random students in the major on LinkedIn or reach out to the department chair about courses/teaching.
-Do not try to sit in on a class. Can you even imagine if random applicants were doing this in your child's classes? Both in terms of volume and appropriateness?

On the positive side, I found much of the book interesting and I did agree with many of his recommendations and insights:
-Figure out a budget and have the money talk early
-The big fish, small pond vs small fish, big pond evaluation
-Give some thought to a college's financial stability
-The importance of belonging
-Opportunities for engaging in undergraduate research and internships are important
-You can have a great, meaningful, and worthwhile college experience at a lesser know institution!

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Jeff Selingo since I was working in higher ed and a dean required all of us to read his ‘College Unbound.’ I read ‘Who Gets in and Why’ a few years ago, and I found it tremendously enlightning. Now, as a parent of a high school senior, I wanted to read this more for affirmation and pleasure than as a how to. (My daughter has applied to but two colleges, but her best friend is hard at work paring down her list from some three dozen, including big-name prestige institutions. This is the book for kids like that, who are legion these days.)

Selingo digs in deep regarding students (and parents) really, really wanting the so-called Ivy-Plus schools. Really, even if you can afford it, is it really worth it? He talks with university administrators, students, families, and a LOT of data crunchers. If you’re already happy with the relatively affordable, under-the-radar school you’ve chosen and probably will get into, the last third of the book—starting with the chapter on belonging—is what you’ll want to read most closely. Still on the fence? Check out Selingo’s chapter on institutional solvency, and you’ll see how some schools still getting by on old reputations are in serious trouble (and, at the very least, won’t be able to provide tomorrow’s students the support and benefits of years past, even if closure isn’t imminent) because of poorly managed finances, outsized ambitions, and unfunded ‘scholarships’ that are essentially Kohl’s Cash. (I laughed out loud at that, because I’ve seen it up close.) So yeah, do yourself a big favor and check out those Moody’s ratings (subscription needed) and Bain’s (free and open); they may determine whether your school will be around for long after you graduate more authoritatively than any pen-and-paper tools you might find (including in this book).

‘Dream School’ is a guide for helping students and their families, as Casey Kasem used to say, keep their feet on the ground but keep reaching for the stars. If you are a high school student or a parent of one (particularly a parent who went to college in the last century), do yourself a favor and read this. It’s perspective in book form.

[Drtaxsacto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginning about a decade ago the market for college admissions began to shift. Some of these challenges were self inflicted - political correctness and ignoring both demographic trends that were projected and increasing resistance to price increases turned what had been a stable market into a very challenging one.

The net result was that for the weakest in the pack - colleges began to disappear. But for the rest of the institutions who wanted to attend and under what terms they would accept admissions offers began a series of seismic shifts. In the last few years that has begun to affect even the most prestigious colleges and universities.

Jeff Selingo's new book is agnostic about the challenges described above but has written a superb guide for parents (and in my case grandparents) to offer a contemporary guide in how to evaluate the market for a degree. (Note many traditional academics reject the idea that the admissions process is anything akin to a market, but that view is out of touch with reality.)

The book is a good review of how to hunt for the right opportunities for your student. Indeed he offers some ideas about how to max price (or net price) with value. He also offers some good resources to help evaluate the choices.

Smart officials in colleges will read this for tips. Smart family members will also read it to get some very good navigation ideas for their prospective students.

[Danielle Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook. Excellent read! Even though I only have an 8th grader, I like knowing what’s on the horizon. So helpful to hear how the college landscape has changed since I’ve been in school, as well as rapid changes post Covid. His findings challenged some opinions I held, and he offered helpful guidance for the college search.

[Leanna Fenneberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began reading with my high school son’s college search in mind, but quickly found its professional relevance as a higher education administrator just as compelling. Selingo reframes the college search beyond prestige and rankings, emphasizing value, fit, and long-term outcomes.A worthwhile read for families, students, and anyone seeking to understand how colleges can truly shape engaged, transformational student experiences and to better understand the evolving education landscape.

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve ever read about college admissions. A smart & reasonable antidote to the highly selective college craze. A great replacement for CTCL now that so many of those schools are on the financial brink & also they added…Hillsdale.

[Jason Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a parent of a senior, this book was so helpful- pointing out my aspirations for my son, and helping me to focus on better questions he can ask in his college search. Wish I had it a year ago, but it’s not too late, application season just started. Best wishes to all the senior parents reading!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive guide to helping your student pick the right school.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. There is a lot less practical information in this book than I thought there would be, as a parent of two college-bound high schoolers who has been paying close attention to college admissions / higher ed issues and following people like Jeff Selingo over the past few years. There wasn’t much in this book that was new *to me*, and there weren’t as many Actionable ideas as I thought there would be.

But, I don’t think I am the target audience. If this whole idea is new to the reader, then it may be much more interesting and relevant.

I found the section about “how to evaluate a school’s financial situation” most helpful and most actionable, although two of the recommended resources are based on data that is several years old and things are happening and changing so fast, I am not sure the data is relevant anymore. But it still provided some good specific direction and insight which I have been looking for (and having a hard time finding elsewhere) so that was helpful.

The list of schools at the end of the book wasn’t too helpful *to me*. I was hoping for some unknown hidden gems. Most of the list was already known and obvious to me (and probably to those who are already looking beyond the top schools). But again, the book’s audience matters and I may not be the target audience.

For someone focused on the T20 schools, or who thinks rankings are super important, then this book (and the list) may be eye opening and super helpful. For someone already looking beyond T20 and seeking good value, they may have already found most of the listed schools.

I think it’s a worthwhile read, even for those who have been paying attention to issues and following Selingo and others already, but you may not get as much out of it as someone who is new to the college search process.

For someone new to the college search process, this is likely very helpful and useful.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Five stars for a book I first picked up on a whim, mostly to better understand the way my future kids might think about college, but ended up being a meditation on how to build a good life.

Selingo meticulously lays out the factors that influence post-college outcomes as measured by earnings, employment, and ROI. But he also deftly cuts through a lot of the anxiety of wealthy parents worried their kids will be economically worse-off. By teasing apart prestige vs the student experience vs actual career preparedness, Selingo turns the volume way down on the “Harvard or bust” conversation, creating a nuanced and thoughtful lens for navigating the college admissions process gracefully.

At times, the pace dragged a bit (the finance chapter) or felt repetitive (student belonging, internships, friends) but nevertheless this was still excellently-written. Five stars.

I’m so glad I read this.

[Alicia Steffann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Selingo's book "Who Gets in and Why" and feel it helped us navigate the college search for our oldest kid. With that in mind, as we launch our second son, I was really excited to read this new book. After finishing it, I think it's a great resource for beginners in the college search, or for people who have never researched less elite colleges before. For those of us who read his first book (and for whom this is not their first rodeo) the book has some useful bits of info, but it's not as earthshaking. I do like his data-driven approach, but I would say that the actual experience of navigating your teen's emotional attachment to one school or another is very complex, and the deep number crunching that he advises may not be as convincing to a teen as it is to an adult. Nonetheless, there is a lot of food for thought in here, and it's a great reminder to all of us not to get swept up in schools we can't really afford or in schools that are brutally selective, because it's very likely that everything will be alright if the first choice doesn't work out.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has walked through applying to college in this current day and age with two kids, not a lot of this book surprised me. I found myself equal parts encouraged and annoyed by all that kids have to go through. I also found myself annoyed by and sympathetic to parents at the same time. Our world and the expectations for kids are seemingly unattainable and it causes such stress for kids and parents alike. I did chuckle to myself when I finished reading the section about the alure of schools in the south and took a walk the next day--through my suburban Chicago town--and saw flag after flag representing those exact Southern schools. I think this would be helpful reading for parents of middle schoolers.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Selingo's last book, "Who Gets In And Why." because it represented a peek inside a concealed world--the world of college admissions offices.

This book is more a distillation of reporting on various popular trends, with a lot of anecdotal evidence included, which is substantially less compelling or convincing.

The book is saved, however, by the last 40 pages, which contain a list of schools that are not impossible to get into and that represent additional value for prospective students. Some of that value is a little sketchy (like a graduation rate that is four percentage points above the "expected" figure), but I appreciate the effort.

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Jeff Selingo's book Who Gets In and Why and thought he wouldn't be able to add to that, but this book was another gem. it is definitely a must read for someone who wants to do a deeper dive into discovering how to assess the idea of college fit. I've spent literally hundreds of hours reading and attending webinars about the admissions process and assessing schools, and I still learned a lot from this book. There were some amazing tips in this, especially about things you wouldn't think about, like reading faculty job postings to see what a university highlights that it wants to see in its professors.

[Ngoc Anh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuốn sách hữu ích cho những người gần như không có kinh nghiệm và hiểu biết về các trường ĐH ở Mỹ như mình. Thông điệp chính và nổi trội nhất của cuốn sách là: không phải cứ rank cao thì sẽ trở thành ngôi trường mơ ước và đáng vào cho tất cả học sinh. Tác giả khuyên học sinh nên nhìn rộng ra, dưới top 50 vẫn có thể trở thành ngôi trường chắp cánh cho bạn, thậm chí có thể còn tốt hơn những trường chọi cạnh tranh khốc liệt.

Các tiêu chí để lựa chọn ngôi trường phù hợp với mình:
1. Financial and merit-aid
2. Mentoring system, schools focus on teaching and nurturing student's future
3. Belonging sense (academically - love what you learn), college life (friends, dorm), and local community (extra curricular)
4. School financial: a school with good financial ground, good net revenue (tuition - discounts).

What to make a CV look good: ACT, AP class, honors, extra curriculars

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Selingo’s 2020 book Who Gets In And Why so I naturally picked this one up when it came out. As someone who’s worked at higher ed institutions for about a decade, and before that had been studying at colleges for another decade, a lot of the information in this book isn’t new to me. This book may offer useful general advice for parents who are a lot less familiar with how higher ed functions, but my guess is a lot of the content wouldn’t be new to savvy readers or parents. After reading this book, I’d still go back to Who Gets In And Why - it offered me more in terms of understanding some of the basic mechanisms of college admissions.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I already knew some of the information and my twins even go to Fordham which is one of the schools he lists as a dream school. But I didn’t know the psychology and research studies for why some schools are considered elite or sought after. He provided many research studies and examples that explained the theories behind why people want to go to elite schools and why other schools get overlooked. He also provided many examples of how students thrive at schools that might not have been their first choice.

[Jill Weiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blending data with personal stories, the author makes a case for looking beyond ultra-selective colleges to find better value and fit. He urges families to stop fixating on what colleges want and instead focus on what students need, revealing how popular rankings not only measure the wrong things but are often “gamed” by schools to boost their prestige. Along with practical advice for making the most of any college experience, he offers a curated list of “new dream schools” that provide strong academics and accessibility without the rankings-driven pressure.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Selingo has a really unique perspective on the college admissions process and college experience. His books are easy to read and really give you things to think about. There were a few things in here I already knew and was glad to see them borne out by research. But there was also some new information, and I really enjoy reading about other's experience. If you have students getting ready for college, this is a must-read.

[Kevin Parkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here are some basic facts: (1) For young people who know they want to go to college, deciding exactly which college to attend is among the most significant decisions they will ever make, and (2) Right now the way those decisions are being made is not super great. This book addresses that problem and provides an overview for tackling that decision more strategically. Jeff is an expert in the field, and in this empowering book we all benefit from his expertise.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good advice in this book. I was hoping for more practical advice, his previous book has a little more practical advice (websites, stuff to focus on in high school). The main crux of this book is that you don't have to go to an Ivy to be successful. Indeed, you may be much happier at a non-Ivy. Some good advice along these lines. It's definitely worth reading if you have a kid in high school. I will have my Junior son read it, I think it will help him think through some things.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having gone through this process recently x2, I feel like I could’ve written half of this (ie trends: kids from the Northeast wanting to go South for college ✅ and kids being more excited about other states’ flagship schools than their own ✅). But really great advice about chasing merit versus chasing prestige and how to evaluate what school your kids will thrive at (spoiler: often not the ivy+ schools) and how to determine the best value. Definitely a worthwhile read if you’ve got college bound teens.

[Becky Wallerick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book at NACAC this year and went to one of Selingo’s sessions. I think this book is great for high school parents walking through the college app process with their teens for the first time. I resonate with the message of many dream schools. Choosing a college for match and fit vs name recognition is important. As a college counselor, there was nothing new here for me but I do recommend reading it if you are college shopping.

[Gabrielle Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to support a better understanding of how to search for the best college for you (or more likely your kid(s)). Selingo compiles his research in an effective yet approachable way and will make all readers feel more knowledgeable in the process. I also love how so many of the schools I recommend for students to consider show up on his “Dream Schools list” - including my own alma mater 😊

[Carly Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good guide for upper middle class parents of high achieving students (the audience for this book) about the competitive college admissions process and how to expand your search beyond the very elite top schools. I like that the author makes the point that after college and your first job, having a name school is less important that what job skills and network you have.

[Hilary Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was an interesting read, but I felt like it was geared more towards parents and students in the Northeast or at prep schools where thinking about going to an ivy might be more common. Top students from my area have considered Texas A&M (mentioned in the book) to be a dream school for a long time.