Dream School

Finding the College That's Right for You

De: Jeffrey Selingo

Narrado por: Jeffrey Selingo

New York Times Bestseller!

From the 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 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, 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 this book, 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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 Jeffrey Selingo (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

A must read for anyone going to college or their parents

This is not just about how to het into your dream school. This is about how to find a school that fits you or your child and a school that you/they can thrive and grow at.

Amazing read for those starting this process!

Great information - a very reasoned, balanced, and calm approach to the college search. I have already recommended it to several friends! While the author’s performance was solid, I would advise buying the book, only because the lists in the back would be much more useful if you could read them and skip around to colleges that interest you or are near you geographically. I had hoped that the appendix would be offered as a pdf for Audible listeners.

Lots of good, factual info

Lots of good information about what to look for and consider when looking at colleges. I especially appreciated the chapter "The Doom Loop of College Finances" on learning how to figure out college's financial situation.

Content not ideal for audiobook media

The content is highly useful for a any parent whose high school student is considering applying to selective colleges (e.g. top 50 on any of the rankings).

However, the audiobook format doesn't present the content efficiently. Many times I felt like I needed to be taking notes so that I could apply the author's strategies during our college search. This book desperately needs a PDF companion with the bullet points of his recommended search strategy. The accompanying PDF with the list of his 75 recommended "dream schools" is helpful, but it's not enough.

The storytelling in this book is not nearly as compelling as in "Who Gets In and Why". In that earlier book, it was much easier to get drawn into real students' stories and their outcomes. The example students and stories in Dream School are largely forgettable.