280: ENCORE: Dream School: How Do You Find the Right College for Your Teen?

280: ENCORE: Dream School: How Do You Find the Right College for Your Teen?

From Ask Lisa: Untangling Family Life by Dr. Lisa Damour

July 14, 2026 · 38 min

About this episode

Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan discuss the importance of engagement over prestige in the college search process with expert Jeff Selingo.

Is your family stressed, anxious, and fixated on getting your teen into a "dream school"? What if that's the wrong goal entirely? Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan revisit their conversation with Jeff Selingo, bestselling author and higher education expert, to reframe the process of searching for the “right” college. After more than 25 years of studying what actually helps students thrive in college, Jeff has a finding that may surprise you: it’s not where your teen goes to college that matters most—it’s how they engage once they’re there. 💡 YOU'LL LEARN: - Why attending the most prestigious colleges doesn’t guarantee better outcomes - Why belonging matters more than brand name — and what to actually look for when evaluating campus culture, mentorship, and fit - How to have honest, early conversations about college costs, and why financial fit deserves just as much attention as academic fit - Why the college search should be about your individual teen, not community expectations or rankings (and how to tune out the noise) - What students can do at any college to maximize their success — and why how they show up matters more than where they enroll________________ GET DR…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr. Lisa Damour, Reena Ninan

Guest: Jeff Selingo

Topics covered

  • college search
  • teen engagement
  • college fit
  • mental health
  • parenting
  • higher education

Keywords

  • dream school
  • college outcomes
  • campus culture
  • financial fit
  • academic fit
  • teen success
  • college rankings

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood, Under Pressure

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