The real question is “what are you looking for in a college?”. “Yale” and “Harvard” may just be code in your mind for “prestigious colleges”. That doesn’t mean that they’re The Best, and it definitely doesn’t mean that they’re the best for you. Maybe you’d do better and be happier in a Liberal Arts College, or maybe in a large public school.
Forgive me if I’m totally wrong, but it seems to me that your entire “Yale dream” ends when you are accepted into Yale. You need to find a college in which you’ll do well, grow, learn, and ultimately succeed. Those should be the focus of your college search, not that shining moment when you get that coveted letter of acceptance. It’s kinda like thinking that having a child is something that ends at birth.
Your college search and decision should focus on what happens AFTER you are accepted. Figure out what you want from a college, what you need from a college, and what you think will help you succeed in college, over the four years you will spend in college.
Start learning about the other 30 or more schools that are a great fit for somebody with your stats, interests and personality. Don’t focus on what you think you will feel when you’re accepted, or what people will say. Think about what the four years of college will be like.
Your school counselor, friends and siblings of friends, admissions officers are all great sources for information that you won’t find in school brochures. Look across the CC forums to see what students and parents are saying about different schools. Do college searches on Naviance’s Super Match, Niche, Princeton Review, and others using search criteria that you find important. Expand your idea of what your Dream School is beyond the fact that you’ve heard of them as being The Best Schools That Everybody Has Heard About.