<p>Beware of having a “dream school” in only sophomore year. Speaking from experience, junior year changes you A LOT, especially if you are taking all APs. You may find that you will have different intellectual wants/needs in a college coming out of it. Also, take the time to really visit as many colleges as you can, because what you find on each campus may surprise you. For a long time, my dream school was Oberlin, and I was determined not to go an in-state school and thought that the Ivies were too snobby and elitist for my liberal, WOC self. THen I visited Oberlin at the end of junior year, found that it was a horrible fit, and ended up liking Wesleyan (in-state). Now I have been accepted at Yale, and it is currently my number-one choice. Things can change so much in 1 or 2 years, so please don’t load yourself down trying to get into one school. It may turn out that Yale really is right for you, and in that case, go for it. But my advice is don’t focus too much on any one school right now. I always cringe when I see younger high-schoolers getting themselves worked up before their time.</p>