ETHS Hosts FAN Event on November 4 with Beth Arey and Jeff Selingo

"Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You," a conversation between Jeff Selingo and Beth Arey, will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at 6:30pm in the ETHS Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public, suitable for ages 12 and up. No registration is required.

Attending college has long been a rite of passage for millions of teens and a bedrock of the American dream. But that well-worn path has lately taken a wrong turn, denying admission even to super-achievers and putting intolerable stress on family finances. Now, in Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You, Jeff Selingo (FAN ’20, ’21, ’22, ‘25) shifts the spotlight from how colleges pick students to how students can better pick colleges.

With test-optional policies and grade inflation leveling the playing field for applicants, getting into prestigious schools has become a kind of lottery. “Plan A” may work out, but increasingly it isn’t—so Selingo urges families to ditch the “Top 25 or bust” mindset and look beyond the usual suspects. Hidden-gem schools with incredible value and rich opportunities are waiting to be discovered.

Backed by unparalleled research—and an eye-opening survey of more than 3,000 parents—Dream School reveals what really matters in a college: strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging. To help students find their perfect match, Selingo highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy those priorities.

Organized into three easy-to-digest sections, Dream School explains why elite college degrees turn out to matter less than you think, why many parents and students are choosing value over prestige, and how to make sure the degree really pays off.

Selingo is a New York Times bestselling author of three books on education and the job market. For more than twenty-five years, his in-depth reporting and storytelling have provided practical insight about the future of higher education and the workforce to university leaders, corporate executives, as well as students and parents.

Selingo will be in conversation with Beth Arey, the College and Career Services Coordinator at Evanston Township High School. At ETHS, Arey has expanded college and career programming across all grade levels, extended services to weekends and summer months, eliminated the negative stress of class rank, and strengthened access to rigorous coursework.

Guests should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the event to find parking and seats. Accessible seating is available in the auditorium. Parking is available in Lot 1 across from the main entrance, off of Dodge Avenue, or in the lots behind the high school. Parking is also available along Dodge Avenue according to posted City of Evanston signs.

The November 4 event will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel. For more information, including a list of sponsors for the event, visit the Family Action Network website.