<p>Some young people haven’t focused particularly on one “dream” college. (I did when I was a kid, but then never applied there. My son has no one college that is his “dream” college, although he does like some particular reachy colleges to which he will surely apply.) I certainly wouldn’t tell a young person NOT to apply to a “dream” college, but I’d tell the same young person to try to find colleges with similar desirable characteristics and apply to those too.</p>