<p>“Dream” means different thing to different people with different aspiration, environment, and such. If you dream about The Wall Street, then, Ivies plus NYU are your dream schools. If you want to be a computer programmer, CMU, MIT, UIUC are your dream schools. If you love basketball and warm weather, Duke, UNC are your dream school…Find out your goals and objectives in life, your list would be crystal clear. There is no one-shoe-fits-all dream school list for all kids.</p>
<p>Thanks for that, momofthreeboys. I never knew that. That makes sense now.</p>
<p>starbright, I agree with your second paragraph (yes, lots of young people my age do act that way, sadly) and know that she didn’t make up the list. I just found it to be an explanation that didn’t hold much weight. I do not wonder about the list’s order and in fact found that it made sense; all of those schools listed are unquestionably desirable. Yes, everyone has a dream college. It doesn’t hurt, except for those crushed hopes every now and then. But as humans, we can’t help but strive for bright, shiny futures.</p>
<p>Okay. NBD.</p>