The Problem With Your Kid’s “Dream School”

With a high school senior living in my house, college applications and decisions are on my mind a lot these days. While my son and his friends don’t talk about it all that much, more and more students are applying early decision to highly competitive schools, and I’ve heard the term “dream school” mentioned several times recently. Those words cause me to wince internally every time I hear them, particularly when a parent whispers, “My kid will be devastated if they don’t get in!”

While I’m e...