What should I do if I love one school but my dream program is at another?

Ah, the classic head-versus-heart dilemma. One school makes you feel all the warm fuzzies. The other has the program you’ve been dreaming about since you were twelve and wrote a book report on it. So what do you do? Start by thinking long-term. Will the program at your “less fun” school open more doors later? Can the school you love still give you opportunities in your field, even if it’s not top-ranked for it? Talk to current students, peek at alumni success stories, and consider double majors, electives, or even grad school later. Sometimes, love and logic can meet halfway.