Question: I thought that adding a `"value"` attribute set on the `<select>` element below would cause the `<option>` containing my provided `"value"` to be selected by default:

```html
<select name="hall" id="hall" value="3">
  <option>1</option>
  <option>2</option>
  <option>3</option>
  <option>4</option>
  <option>5</option>
</select>
```

However, this did not work as I had expected. How can I set which `<option>` element is selected by default?

Answer: 
I prefer this:

```
<select>
   <option selected hidden>Choose here</option>
   <option value="1">One</option>
   <option value="2">Two</option>
   <option value="3">Three</option>
   <option value="4">Four</option>
   <option value="5">Five</option>
</select>

```

'Choose here' disappears after an option has been selected.
Default selected value is **Option-4**

```
  <html:select property="status" value="OPTION_4" styleClass="form-control">
            <html:option value="">Select</html:option>
            <html:option value="OPTION_1"  >Option-1</html:option>
            <html:option value="OPTION_2"  >Option-2</html:option>
            <html:option value="OPTION_3"  >Option-3</html:option>
            <html:option value="OPTION_4"  >Option-4</html:option>
            <html:option value="OPTION_5"  >Option-5</html:option>                                  
   </html:select>

```