- Are you a (parent of) HS Junior working on your college list?
- Are you a (parent of) HS Senior considering several college offers and deciding what school to pick?
- What factors should you consider when picking your school and why? Does prestige matter?
We are excited to welcome reputed author and college admissions expert Jeff Selingo for an exclusive written Q&A on Thursday, March 20th in which he’ll answer your questions about how to pick the best school for you.
About Jeff Selingo
@Jeff_Selingo has written about higher education for more than two decades and is a New York Times bestselling author of three books. His latest book, Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, took him inside the admissions offices at three colleges and revealed a new way to think about where to get the most merit aid as you apply to schools. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic. Jeff is a special advisor to the president and professor of practice at Arizona State University, co-hosts the podcast, Future U. and writes a twice-monthly newsletter, Next.
About Jeff’s book
Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You (September 2025) is 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.
Backed by unparalleled research—and an eye-opening survey of 3,500 parents—Dream School reveals what really matters in a college: strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging. Selingo highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy those priorities.
Subscribe to Jeff’s twice-monthly newsletter on what’s next for higher ed here.
You can ask your question NOW or during the live event. which will take place on this page, in the comments section below, by hitting the reply button below.
This is a written Q&A, there is no video or audio available. Jeff will type back his answers to your questions.
The AMA is FREE for all registered users. If you don’t have an account yet, REGISTER NOW!
How does one separate academic rigor from prestige? It appear that the most academically rigorous schools are also the most prestigious/highly selective so how can you find that academic rigor at a SLAC that is not so selective, therefore prestigious?
This is an exclusive Q&A with @Jeff_Selingo. Please post your questions for Jeff and he will respond during the live session on Thu, Mar 20 @ 7pm ET. There is no need for other members to respond to questions that are asked for Jeff.
I’m looking for an open curriculum/starting my course in the first semester college with in-depth CS curriculum, but also has creative computing minor/electives. I was recommended LACs but I don’t think they will be in-depth. Help?
What rankings, if any, or other resources do you recommend to help families evaluate potential colleges and universities? What concerns do you have regarding dismantling the Department of Education and what will happen to the data used by College Scorecard and the College Navigator sites?
Given the current landscape of fluctuating federal grant funding, how should graduating high school seniors, seeking undergraduate research opportunities, reassess their college lists? Specifically, should they prioritize traditional R1 institutions, or consider alternatives with more diversified funding models?
Within R1s, how do factors like public vs. private status and state political climate influence research access?
How can we compare liberal arts colleges, certain state schools, and the national universities that ranking sites like US News differentiate with different rankings if we have offers from multiple from each category? Also, when does paying more money for prestige really matter, is there a certain level? Low ranked state school with extremely affordable tuition versus a highly prestigious private school offering a pretty generous financial aid package although still like $1,000-$5,000 more? How would one go about these situations to determine the best value for our buck?
What role does name recognition play in terms of success in employment/grad school, particularly for individuals who want to be geographically mobile? For instance, most state flagships have name recognition through sports, even if they do not have low admission rates or are considered “prestigious.” Does attending a school with name recognition matter as compared to a different school with low levels of name recognition?
For a student who is below average academically does going to a very large state school increase the chance of failing out? Would a smaller college be a wiser choice? Intended major: business/marketing.
Hi @Jeff_Selingo, Your book and podcast were helpful as I navigated this process last year with my now college freshman. We are going through it for the second year in a row. My second child is a good student, not stand-out, good references and work experience. She focused her search on regional, moderately selective schools in the Northeast and was accepted to several with attractive scholarships. I’m wondering what your thoughts are on how to choose between regional schools if the student is not sure if they are going to stay in the local area after graduation. She just cannot predict where she wants to live that far out. I’ve heard that kids have better luck staying near there schools to find jobs if the school is not nationally known. She is planning on studying business where connections during undergraduate years could be important. If helpful the schools are Salve Regina and Marist. Could you comment on this? Thank you!
My son is picking between two engineering programs, both at large public R1 institutions. The in-state option is ranked around 30th for his major (US news undergraduate civil engineering programs), while the out of state option is ranked 3rd. We felt the difference when touring in terms of facilities and opportunities, but both schools boast similar job placement and starting salary rates. How should he think about ranking when making this decision? Both schools are in budget, but the oos option is nearly double the cost, and we’re unsure how to think about cost v value.
How can low income students with perfect test scores, GPAs, and rigorous classes (15 AP with 5s) complete with applicants who can afford pay-to-play extracurriculars? When looking at an applicant pool it seems very selective schools always go with those who meet their high stat standards and also demand excellent extracurriculars. Doesn’t that perpetuate exclusion of low income candidates? If so what is the point of offering a free ride at these schools.
It seems disingenuous that colleges profess “holistic” reviews and then fail to make this distinction in their admissions process.
We live in Texas and are fortunate to have UT Austin as an instate college option. How should we weigh the prestige value of an Ivy League school education relative to this great public institution given that we will have to pay all out of pocket (not qualified for aid).
My D is a highly social, extrovert. She is looking at a school (CWRU) that social media says is for nerds and introverts. If she is looking for “fit,” must she look elsewhere? Does a social media descriptor become a self-fulfilling prophecy in this age of college “fit”?
