<p>The issue is that those “Top 20” schools can only admit an extremely small fraction of the ~1.4 million American students who enter college in any given year (data is a couple years old so it may be a bit off.) If a prospective student is setting themselves up to believe that it’s “Top-20” or nothing, they’re setting themselves up to fail.</p>
<p>Shoot for the moon, by all means, but remember that getting in is a crapshoot, and if you don’t get into a “Top-20,” console yourself by remembering that neither did 1.35 million (or so) other Americans.</p>
<p>In fact, 1.25 million of those Americans probably never even seriously considered a “Top-20” school to begin with. They knew going in that either their grades weren’t <em>perfect</em> enough, they couldn’t afford to, or <em>gasp</em> they wanted to go somewhere else. The “Top-20” is not a realistic option for the vast majority of people who go to college.</p>
<p>Somehow, these poor sods who don’t go to a “Top-20” school manage to get a quality education, enjoy their time in college, graduate, find jobs, raise families and live enjoyable, productive lives despite the fact that they never set foot on Harvard Yard or the Gothic Wonderland.</p>
<p>I know it’s anathema to some people on this forum, but one magazine’s rankings are not the be-all and end-all of higher education.</p>