View as Webpage

New Fall Event

Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You


Jeff Selingo


Tues, September 16, 7:00-8:15pm PT

In-person, Saint Francis High School, Mountain View

Attending college has long been a rite of passage for millions of teens. But as perceptions of higher education have changed, that well-worn path has become more and more stressful for students and their families. New York Times best-selling author, Jeff Selingo, reveals how to assemble a meaningful list of colleges that will inspire students’ futures but that can also lower the stress of the application process.


Selingo’s new book Dream School suggests that the name of the school matters less than you think, explains why some families are choosing value over prestige, and describes how to make sure the degree really pays off.

 

About our speaker

 

Jeff Selingo has written about colleges and universities for more than two and a half decades. His last book Who Gets In & Why: A Year Inside College Admissions takes readers inside the admissions offices of three selective universities and was named among the 100 Notable Books of the year by the New York Times. His new book Dream School: Finding The College That’s Right For You is based on 2+ years of research and a survey of 3,500 parents. 

 

A regular contributor to The Atlantic, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal, Jeff is a special advisor to the president and professor of practice at Arizona State University. He writes a bi-weekly newsletter on all things higher ed called Next and co-hosts the podcast Future U. He lives with his family near Washington, DC.

Registration closes 12 hours before event or once maximum capacity is reached.

This event is free for member school attendees and educators.

Fall Speaker Events

View Event Calendar

In the Community

Mindfulness courses available at Insight Meditation Center.


Stanford Continuing Studies offers Wellness Classes.

Event Attendance

The 2025-2026 season of the Common Ground Speaker Series will feature both in-person and livestream events. Please register for each event to receive webinar access, reminders, and updates.


Parents, faculty, and staff at our member schools attend the Common Ground events free of charge. 


Faculty and educators from non-member schools attend free of charge. Guests from non-member schools and the general community may register and attend virtual and in-person events for a nonrefundable $10 fee. 


Registration details and more information about the Common Ground Speaker Series, including our member schools, are on our website.

A Leader in Parent Education on the San Francisco Peninsula Since 2002
Facebook