Princeton Review's 'College Hopes' Survey Reports Top 10 'Dream Colleges' of Student Applicants & Parents: Harvard #1 Among Students -- Princeton #1 Among Parents

Some call it "the other March madness." It's nail-biting season now through April as college acceptance/rejection and financial aid letters land in family mailboxes. According to a Princeton Review survey of 8,776 college applicants and 1,612 parents of applicants (10,388 people total), the "dream college" students most wish they could attend is Harvard. Parents most wish their kids were headed to Princeton.

The Princeton Review, a New York-based education services company, has conducted its "College Hopes & Worries Survey" since 2003. Findings this year are based on surveys completed on paper or online September to March by respondents from all 50 states and DC. The 13-question survey ran in The Princeton Review's "Best 366 Colleges" book published August 2007 and on www.PrincetonReview.com from February to March 20.

Top 10 Dream Colleges

For the survey's only fill-in-the-blank question, "What 'dream college' do you wish you could attend (or see your child attend) if acceptance or cost weren't issues?":

  The schools students most named were:
    1) Harvard
    2) Stanford
    3) Princeton
    4) New York Univ. (previously #1 for 3 consecutive years)
    5) Yale
    6) Brown
    7) Columbia
    8) Cornell
    9) Univ. of Southern California
   10) UCLA


  The schools parents most named were:
    1) Princeton
    2) Stanford
    3) Harvard
    4) New York Univ.
    5) Notre Dame
    6) Cornell
    7) Duke
    8) Yale
    9) MIT
   10) Brown


  Other key findings
  Among respondents overall:

   -- 61% report high levels of stress about college applications

   -- 84% say financial aid will be "very necessary"

   -- 71% expect the cost of their degree to exceed $75,000

   -- Asked what is their biggest worry about applying to college, 37%
      selected the answer "will get into first-choice college, but won't
      have sufficient funds/financial aid to attend it"; 27% chose "will
      take on major loan debt for college"; 23% chose "won't get into
      first-choice college"; 13% selected "will attend a college I regret."

   -- Asked what factor will determine the college they choose to attend,
      only 9% said they'll pick the one "with the best academics"; 11 % said
      "most affordable" college; 30% said the college "best for (my) career
      interests"; 50% said the school that's "the best overall fit."

   -- Asked how far from home they'd ideally prefer that college to be, 53%
      of parents said "0 to 250 miles," while 66% of students selected
      answer choices in ranges over 250 miles.

The survey also polled respondents on how many colleges they were applying to, how they rated their school counselors on college and financial aid guidance, and the toughest part of their application experience.

An optional question invited respondents to share advice for next year's applicants. Said one student: "The college application process isn't the worst part. Waiting to hear back is!" The most common tip from students and parents: "Start early." Said one parent: "I wouldn't wish these last few weeks on anyone."

A complete report on the survey and a sampler of respondents' advice is posted at www.PrincetonReview.com.

The Princeton Review -- known for its test-prep courses, college and graduate school admission services, books and education programs -- is not affiliated with Princeton University or ETS and not a magazine.

Source: The Princeton Review

Web site: http://www.princetonreview.com/