From the Book - First Scribner hardcover edition.
Part I: Why your assumptions about elite colleges are all wrong. Great expectations : why you need a backup plan
Swimming in calmer waters : the elite college degree matters less than you think
Part II: Mapping the new admissions landscape. The rise of the out-of-state recruit : what's driving teenagers to cross borders
Value over prestige : skipping the next tier of schools to get a deal
The age of agency : why this is your time to explore
Part III: What to look for in your dream school. On the hunt for a good school : how the information marketplace fed our obsession with admissions
Mentors matter : finding colleges that put teaching first
Finding your people : how belonging shapes your undergraduate experience
The doom loop of college finances : how to make sure a college will continue to have the dollars to invest in you
Better than average : making sure the degree pays off
Appendix: The "new" dream schoolsa selected list
