The college search has narrowed. Families increasingly fixate on a small set of schools, convinced that they’re the path to a good outcome.

But that instinct may be leading families astray. In a survey of more than 3,000 parents, only 16% said prestige mattered most for their own child. Yet 61% believed other parents in their community valued it highly. The search, in other words, is driven less by what families want than by what they think everyone else wants.

In this Next Office Hour, we're trying something different. I will bring different speakers into the room one at a time, for a focused conversation on a particular dimension of fit.

Along the way we'll explore a new, updated guide, "Finding Your Dream School," (companion to my latest book, Dream School.) I created the guide to help families and counselors figure out what teenagers are actually looking for in a college; find the place where they'll build lasting relationships; and ensure the investment pays off.

Together with insights from the live chat, we'll explore:

• How students can clarify what they actually want from college, rather than defaulting to selectivity as a proxy for quality

• What the research says about selectivity and outcomes

• How to read the signals of mentorship and belonging that rankings will never capture

• How families can weigh cost against real-world payoff using a simple earnings-to-price framework

Can’t make it live?  Register to receive the recording after the event.