For the third year in a row, New York University beat out Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia as high school students’ “number one dream college” by The Princeton Review.

The findings mirror the mind- boggling admissions numbers at NYU, which for three straight years has received more than 35,000 applications for 4,000 freshmen slots - making it the most sought-after private college in the country.

Ah, yes. The hopes and dreams of coming to New York, living in the Village, hanging out at Washington Square Park for a full school year because you’re too scared to take the subway … it really is like a dream.

Just remember that when you wake up in Brooklyn four years later, $100,000 in debt, and unemployed, your school will be there, taking away your gym membership and sending old professors out of the woodwork to ask, "aren't you supposed to have to a job?"

But seriously young high school saplings, NYU is great. It really, really is. And New York City always welcomes NYU kids with wide smiles and open arms. (Just don't forget to get that access to your parent's bank account.)

NYU IS 'DREAM' OF THE CROP [David Andreatta and Jennifer Fermino]