<p>I have always been amazed by this question. Some people have told me that they wanted to go this so and so college since 9th grade and earlier (even since elementary school!) The aspect that surprises me the most is when they have not even visited the college to at least get a “feel” of the atmosphere. How on earth can people have a dream school if they never even “experienced” the school before in some way or the other? Any inputs?</p>
<p>Usually it’s because their dream isn’t the school itself but the reputation and prestige attached to the name. </p>
<p>^ or the parents’ beliefs.</p>
<p>Or the location (e.g. New York University because it is in New York).</p>
<p>ESPN. Seriously.</p>
<p>You can make any school your dream school.</p>
<p>For me, I vacillated between dream schools until I settled on one of them my sophomore year without really knowing much about any of them… so for me it was a matter of what just sounded nice and didn’t have an impossible air about it. In many cases, I think people come up with a dream school and then say that they like it because of reasons they later learn rather than the other way around.</p>
<p>For a lot of people, their dream school is so unrealistic for them that it’ll always be just that: a dream…</p>
<p>So I’m guessing a dream school is originally based on the name and prestige?</p>
<p>You have hit on the reason why the whole idea of a dream school is stupid. A true “dream” school is one that is strong in your major (which very few people have any idea of early in high school), has a location and size and vibe that appeals to you (which you probably wouldn’t know until you visited), is affordable (which most people don’t start figuring out until junior year), and wants YOU (meaning you get accepted). It should have nothing to do with name and prestige, and students would be well advised to pick several schools that could meet the first set of criteria in case the last one (acceptance) doesn’t happen.</p>
<p>This was when I was in like 5th or 6th grade. For me, my dream school used to be MIT. I grew up in Boston, and always heard about MIT, Harvard, etc. I was really smart in elementary school (like top of class, not impressive at all obv., but I was always super into education). I loved math and science and thought it would be great for me. Mainly had to do with prestige and what they had to offer.</p>
<p>I don’t know many people who did, but there are a few examples from memory:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>some kids (5-10) who knew they always wanted to go to [big state school with good academic reputation, especially in engineering and business] because they knew they’d be going into business or a certain flavor of engineering, could get into the school without much effort, and they’d been exposed to the school’s culture extensively through their parents (alumni of said school)</p></li>
<li><p>a few others who knew which school they’d be going to because their parents’ network allowed them to get in touch with a bunch of professors from that school; one of them even got both of his recs from professors at said school</p></li>
</ul>
<p>So, in the few legitimate cases, it’s due to early exposure that makes the school a part of the applicant’s life- and lets them gauge fit.</p>
<p>So my best friend from college (Michigan) had a kid who thought Michigan was his dream school his whole life. But he screwed around too much in high school and didn’t get. I think he thought he would because he was a double legacy. He wasn’t a terrible student, but not quite good enough. He is at the other ‘state school’ and making the best of it, but while he had a ‘dream school’ he didn’t spend enough time figuring out what would be required to get admitted. His parents did warn him that he was not on track, and his mom told me a year ahead of time she thought he would not get admitted. But he was crushed when it happened. Now this was probably his own fault… but it just points out that it is really not a good idea to get too attached to the idea of ANY school. Magical thinking does not get you admitted – no matter how much you like them, they do not have to like you back.</p>