If I had to express surprise, it would only be in reference to the “parents’ list of dream colleges for their children”.
Although understandable as “dream schools”, I find Cornell & Notre Dame each to be a bit of an unexpected surprise on the list.
Notre Dame due to its religious connection & Cornell because Columbia & Penn–especially Wharton–and Georgetown and Duke were bypassed.
As a Catholic, it is easy for me to understand Notre Dame as a “Dream School”, but it makes me question the randomness of the survey participants.
Again, not really surprised, just trying to participate in the theme of the thread.
P.S. If I had to construct a list of dream schools as a parent, it would include Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, Northwestern University, Harvard, & Michigan & Claremont McKenna College as my top five. The remaining five of the ten schools–subject to change on a daily basis–might include Duke, Vanderbilt, UNC, Virginia & Pomona.
When we started the college search process many years ago, Dartmouth College, Middlebury College & Davidson College would have made the list.
Most importantly, however, was our child’s list of dream schools which was limited to two universities–both of which he attended & grauated from one.