Jeff Selingo with Ron Lieber
Dream School: Finding and Getting into the College That’s Right for You
Virtual Event
Program Takeaways:
Prestige is a powerful blindfold. Families often start with “name schools,” but the better starting point is clarifying what the student actually wants (research, community, learning style, support).
There’s no such thing as a true “safety school” anymore. Because of yield management (schools trying to predict “likelihood to enroll”), students can be denied if a college thinks it’s being used as a backup.
Affordability isn’t just a perception — it’s real. Selingo pushes back on the idea that costs are “overblown,” noting net price has risen across income levels and families are weighing value alongside other financial responsibilities.
Merit aid is widespread — and many families don’t understand it. Discounts often appear just a bit “deeper in the rankings,” and families miss major opportunities when they only look at brand-name schools.
“Dream school” isn’t a place — it’s a match. The goal isn’t perfect fit (it doesn’t exist); it’s a good fit: where students thrive, find their people, and have access to what matters (advising, research, courses, community).
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Finding colleges where your student can grow, be challenged and make connections will achieve a best college fit. Participants will learn why an “elite” college degree matters less than you think, why many parents and students are choosing value over prestige, and how to make sure the college degree really pays off. Selingo will equip families to help their students build a list of colleges that will reduce the stress of the application process and set them up for future success.
Attending college is a rite of passage for millions of teens, but that path is sometimes full of hurdles that complicate admission or put intolerable stress on family finances. Showcasing years of research Selingo will return to GPS to dismantle college admission myths and share a more imaginative approach to successfully accomplishing higher-education goals.
Selingo has written about colleges and universities for more than 25 years and is the author of three groundbreaking books including “Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admission” which gives readers a peek inside the admissions offices of three selective universities. A regular contributor to The Atlantic, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal, Selingo writes a bi-weekly newsletter and produces a weekly podcast on all things higher education.
Please share information about this event with friends and relatives. All are welcome to our free weekly GPS events, and no registration is required.
In conversation with…
Selingo will be in conversation with Ron Lieber. Lieber is an author and finance columnist who has written several books, including the bestsellers The Opposite of Spoiled (2015) and Taking Time Off (1996), and the 2021 book The Price You Pay for College. He has served as the “Your Money” columnist for The New York Times since 2008. Prior to that, he wrote the “Green Thumb” personal finance column for The Wall Street Journal. His other works include Upstart Start-Ups and a co-authored guidebook on entry-level jobs.
Speaker Resources
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