744. HOW TO DEFINE A DREAM SCHOOL

Young adults should always be encouraged to dream big when imagining their futures. When the time comes to actualize those aspirations, though, practical details matter most.  Amy and Mike invited author Jeff Selingo to clarify how to define a dream school.   

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What is the "Top 25 or bust" mentality and why do so many families still equate selectivity with quality?

2. Do you need to attend a top-ranked school to get an exceptional college education?

3. How do you define fit, and what specific factors should families consider when evaluating whether a college is truly the right match for a student?

4. What is a hidden gem college and what characteristics do these institutions tend to share?

5. What indicators should families look for when assessing a college's ability to prepare students for meaningful careers?

MEET OUR GUEST

Jeff Selingo is a New York Times bestselling author of four books on education and the job market, including his newest, Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You (September 2025). Based on more than two years of research and a survey of some 3,000 parents, the book gives families permission to think more broadly about what signals a “good” college and then the tools to discover their dream school. His previous book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, was named one of the New York Times’s 100 Notable Books of the Year in 2020.

For more than twenty-five years, his in-depth reporting and storytelling have provided practical insight about the future of higher education and the workforce to university leaders, corporate executives, as well as students and parents.

Jeff has talked before scores of colleges, businesses, healthcare organizations, and financial services companies and helped leaders understand what’s next for education and how companies can better compete for talent, especially among today’s Gen Z. He has appeared at the Milken Global Institute, LinkedIn, Ohio State University, Salesforce, Spain’s Bankinter Innovation Foundation, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions, and Deloitte, as well as before the boards of Carnegie Mellon University, the Duke Endowment, and Amherst College, among others.

As both an observer of higher education and an insider with an academic appointment at one of the largest universities in the country, Jeff occupies a unique position to explain the intersection between work, life, and learning. He writes regularly for The Atlantic, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

His research focuses on the changing nature of work and its impact on education, paying for college, the student experience, and shifting expectations for what the public and employers want from colleges. He is co-host of the podcast, Future U., and writes a biweekly newsletter, Next.

Jeff is a special advisor to the president and professor of practice at Arizona State University, where he is the founding director of the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership. He has also served as a visiting scholar at Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities. In addition, Jeff regularly counsels universities and organizations on strategy.

Previously, Jeff was the top editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, where he worked for sixteen years in a variety of reporting and editing roles. His work has been honored by the Education Writers Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and the Associated Press.

He received a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. He is a member of the board of trustees at Ithaca College and the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). He lives with his wife and two daughters near Washington, D.C.

Jeff previously appeared on this podcast in episode 126 to discuss Shaping an Admissions Class.

Find Jeff at https://www.jeffselingo.com/.

LINKS

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

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FINDING YOUR COLLEGE FIT

FINDING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PATH TO COLLEGE

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS INSANITY

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.