@gallentjill, re your “lottery” comment, i have to disagree a bit. One of the great things about college dreams (whether " I’m going to an Ivy League college" or “I’m going to be an MD” or whatever) is that they are usually NOT as farfetched as dreaming of winning the lottery, winning an Olympic gold medal, receiving an Academy Award, or being an astronaut. The odds are MUCH better that most college dreams will come true, and you are in control of a lot of it by studying hard and getting the right ECs.
And keep in mind that not all college dreams involve programs with single-digit acceptance rates. Some people dream of being a business major at USC or of playing the trumpet for the Ohio State marching band.