The top 10 ‘dream colleges’ are …
April 9, 2010 by Geneva ReidPosted in: Admissions & Financial Aid, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views
Here’s the newest list of colleges students wish they could attend — if getting accepted and tuition costs weren’t factors. Princeton Review surveyed more than 9,000 students and about 3,000 parents to see where everyone would most like to go (or most like their children to go).
Here’s what students said:
- Stanford University
- Harvard College
- New York University
- Princeton University
- Brown University
- Yale University
- University of California – Los Angeles
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Southern California
- Cornell University
Here’s where parents wish their kids could go:
- Stanford University
- Princeton University
- Harvard College
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Yale University
- University of California – Los Angeles
- University of Notre Dame
- Brown University
- University of Southern California
- New York University
To see more results from Princeton Review’s 2010 “College Hopes and Worries Survey,” click here.
If you were heading to college next fall, what would your dream college be? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Tags: dream colleges, Princeton Review


April 7th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Northeastern, as they have the number 1 co-op program and is highly reputable. Also, at their 2009 Commencement, Kenneth Cole was their keynote speaker which speaks for itself.
April 7th, 2010 at 11:20 am
My “dream college” was Brigham Young University. It was a privilege to attend college there. My experience was a treasure.
April 7th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
For the midwest “dream college” is Creighton University in Omaha, NE. The faculty/student ratio is excellent. The dorms for upperclassman are new and modern. Close to a happening downtown with music for all interests.
April 7th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
The new “dream college” is, I hear, Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Good preprofessional programs and sensationally innovative arts & sciences. Medical school on the way.
April 7th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
For a small liberal arts experience you can’t beat Immaculata University, PA. They offer Bachelor, Master, and PhD levels. It has an excellent education department, music and the arts, as well as math and science. Graduates have gone on to excellent careers.
In the southeast, you can’t get any better than the University of the South, Sewanee, TN. Again, a liberal arts University with top rate programs, excellent student/faculty ratio, and many opportunities for leadership training. It has a superb theater department, music and the arts, as well as a wonderful classics dept. to name just a few of the offerings.
April 7th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
For a small liberal arts experience you can’t beat Immaculata University, PA. They offer Bachelor, Master, and PhD levels. It has an excellent education department, music and the arts, as well as math and science. Graduates have gone on to excellent careers.
April 7th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
In the southeast, you can’t get any better than the University of the South, Sewanee, TN. Again, a liberal arts University with top rate programs, excellent student/faculty ratio, and many opportunities for leadership training. It has a superb theater department, music and the arts, as well as a wonderful classics dept. to name just a few of the offerings.
April 7th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
You students have it all wrong! You should be looking for a place with a good program and a great lifestyle. How about U of Utah, U of Colorado Boulder, Montana State, or my favorite University of Montana. World class schools with a world class lifestyle!
April 8th, 2010 at 8:39 am
Clearly a disproportionate number of people from California were part of this survey. Stanford over Harvard? UCLA over MIT? Give me a break!
April 9th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
@Jim – MIT would take a hit in a general population survey because it is perceived as a school for “techies”.
April 12th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Anyone from Indiana would say “Isn’t Bulter University?”
April 12th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Anyone from Indiana wouold say “It’s Butler” – corrected
April 14th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I think those who took part in the survey were disproportionately from the Northeast and California. Very disappointing. There’s only one (count it) school on the combined lists from anywhere else — Notre Dame. Other than that the respondents considered everything in between as fly-over country. Typical “coasties” bias.
April 14th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I had an incredible experience at Denison University near Columbus, OH. Three years on campus, and my junior abroad at Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universitaet-Muenchen in Germany. Rigorous academics, beautiful campus, supportive faculty and great student life. Sad to see it missed the list.
April 16th, 2010 at 4:07 am
Both the students and the parents are right: Stanford is definitely the #1 dream college. I wish my D could attend there, too…
May 11th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I’m a USC Trojan through and through, and I still think people overestimate the big name schools. Certainly, depending on each program, a university like Harvard or Stanford might not be as good as another, lesser known school that specializes in your area of study.