Dream school: finding the college that's right for you

Author's note

Introduction

Part I: Why your assumptions about elite colleges are all wrong. Great expectations : why you need a backup plan

Swimming in calmer waters : the elite college degree matters less than you think

Part II: Mapping the new admissions landscape. The rise of the out-of-state recruit : what's driving teenagers to cross borders

Value over prestige : skipping the next tier of schools to get a deal

The age of agency : why this is your time to explore

Part III: What to look for in your dream school. On the hunt for a good school : how the information marketplace fed our obsession with admissions

Mentors matter : finding colleges that put teaching first

Finding your people : how belonging shapes your undergraduate experience

The doom loop of college finances : how to make sure a college will continue to have the dollars to invest in you

Better than average : making sure the degree pays off

Conclusion: Dreams

Appendix: The "new" dream schoolsa selected list

Hidden values

Breakout regionals

Large leaders

Acknowledgements

Notes

Index.