College game is still rigged

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You think that the government playing around with admissions rules will help more normal kids get in? It will just make it more likely that connected kids bypass the rules altogether.

So oppose the legislation. I am in favor of it. And it would make life easier for everyone (other than colleges; screw them).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Article in Ny times.. by Jeff Selingo


“That mind-set makes acceptance to a highly selective college feel like a game. The rules are set by colleges, then carried out by admissions offices, and are stacked against the vast majority of teenagers. Fewer than a tenth of applicants win that prize of getting into one of the nation’s most selective colleges. If that weren’t enough, every year elite colleges move the goal line with new rules for getting across it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/opinion/college-admissions-seniors-stats.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare


I doubt most people will learn anything from his book or article. We keep playing this game and colleges keep winning..

Selingo says in this article you can’t do anything about the rules set by colleges. It’s called legislation. Abolish ED.

Nonsense, they are private institutions. People can choose to apply or not to apply but private schools have every right to create an admissions process that works for their interests.

It is a simple act of Congress. Or Mass can do it at the state level to get it started. Or enforce existing anti-trust law.

While we are at it, limit waitlists to some reasonable number — not in the thousands.

Why? Why do you care? Colleges are businesses whose ultimate goal is to fill the freshman class with X students. Not X+100 and not X-100. Both create different ramifications for the school. You can either get on a WL or not. Up to you. But in general it's best to assume you wont get off any WL, and make your best pick by May1 and proceed with attending in the fall.

But the school needs to ensure they have X students matriculating for Fall semester. WL are part of that management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Article in Ny times.. by Jeff Selingo


“That mind-set makes acceptance to a highly selective college feel like a game. The rules are set by colleges, then carried out by admissions offices, and are stacked against the vast majority of teenagers. Fewer than a tenth of applicants win that prize of getting into one of the nation’s most selective colleges. If that weren’t enough, every year elite colleges move the goal line with new rules for getting across it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/opinion/college-admissions-seniors-stats.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare


I doubt most people will learn anything from his book or article. We keep playing this game and colleges keep winning..

Ok

[Anonymous]

One of the easiest ways to fix college admissions is to limit the number of times one can take the SAT/ACT. That would vastly reduce the number of 1500+ applicant pool. But college board makes money off of SAT so that is not going to happen. Its all about the money people..

[Anonymous]

Applying to colleges should not be as stressful as it has become. Colleges shouldn’t be as expensive as they are now. High school students shouldn’t be expected to win national awards, present themselves as prodigies, professional athletes etc. They are just teens beginning their lives. They might not know what they want to do in college and yet they already expected to have achieved so much success in various fields. Its insane! They should instead be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, which in the current system is not allowed. Imagine the stress when KIDS are not allowed to make mistakes. Cause one mistake (one B or C) can mean no chance at the elite schools.
Then we wonder why our kids are anxious and stressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Article in Ny times.. by Jeff Selingo


“That mind-set makes acceptance to a highly selective college feel like a game. The rules are set by colleges, then carried out by admissions offices, and are stacked against the vast majority of teenagers. Fewer than a tenth of applicants win that prize of getting into one of the nation’s most selective colleges. If that weren’t enough, every year elite colleges move the goal line with new rules for getting across it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/opinion/college-admissions-seniors-stats.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare


I doubt most people will learn anything from his book or article. We keep playing this game and colleges keep winning..

Selingo says in this article you can’t do anything about the rules set by colleges. It’s called legislation. Abolish ED.

Nonsense, they are private institutions. People can choose to apply or not to apply but private schools have every right to create an admissions process that works for their interests.

It is a simple act of Congress. Or Mass can do it at the state level to get it started. Or enforce existing anti-trust law.

While we are at it, limit waitlists to some reasonable number — not in the thousands.

Why? Why do you care? Colleges are businesses whose ultimate goal is to fill the freshman class with X students. Not X+100 and not X-100. Both create different ramifications for the school. You can either get on a WL or not. Up to you. But in general it's best to assume you wont get off any WL, and make your best pick by May1 and proceed with attending in the fall.

But the school needs to ensure they have X students matriculating for Fall semester. WL are part of that management.

Sure, why should anyone care if colleges have 5,000-person waitlists for 10 potential spots? Nothing wrong with that — at all. It should even be celebrated. Thanks, colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Article in Ny times.. by Jeff Selingo


“That mind-set makes acceptance to a highly selective college feel like a game. The rules are set by colleges, then carried out by admissions offices, and are stacked against the vast majority of teenagers. Fewer than a tenth of applicants win that prize of getting into one of the nation’s most selective colleges. If that weren’t enough, every year elite colleges move the goal line with new rules for getting across it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/opinion/college-admissions-seniors-stats.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare


I doubt most people will learn anything from his book or article. We keep playing this game and colleges keep winning..

Selingo says in this article you can’t do anything about the rules set by colleges. It’s called legislation. Abolish ED.

Nonsense, they are private institutions. People can choose to apply or not to apply but private schools have every right to create an admissions process that works for their interests.

If they want to refuse federal money — like Hillsdale — you have a point. Otherwise, you don’t.

I do. There are subsidies throughout the economy without the overbearing nonsense you you pine for. Stick to non-selective state schools, they are better aligned to your intellect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Applying to colleges should not be as stressful as it has become. Colleges shouldn’t be as expensive as they are now. High school students shouldn’t be expected to win national awards, present themselves as prodigies, professional athletes etc. They are just teens beginning their lives. They might not know what they want to do in college and yet they already expected to have achieved so much success in various fields. Its insane! They should instead be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, which in the current system is not allowed. Imagine the stress when KIDS are not allowed to make mistakes. Cause one mistake (one B or C) can mean no chance at the elite schools.
Then we wonder why our kids are anxious and stressed.

+ 1000. Get rid of the whole industry that enables this with coaches, consultants, tutors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Article in Ny times.. by Jeff Selingo


“That mind-set makes acceptance to a highly selective college feel like a game. The rules are set by colleges, then carried out by admissions offices, and are stacked against the vast majority of teenagers. Fewer than a tenth of applicants win that prize of getting into one of the nation’s most selective colleges. If that weren’t enough, every year elite colleges move the goal line with new rules for getting across it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/opinion/college-admissions-seniors-stats.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare


I doubt most people will learn anything from his book or article. We keep playing this game and colleges keep winning..

Selingo says in this article you can’t do anything about the rules set by colleges. It’s called legislation. Abolish ED.

Nonsense, they are private institutions. People can choose to apply or not to apply but private schools have every right to create an admissions process that works for their interests.

If they want to refuse federal money — like Hillsdale — you have a point. Otherwise, you don’t.

I do. There are subsidies throughout the economy without the overbearing nonsense you you pine for. Stick to non-selective state schools, they are better aligned to your intellect.

Learn how to use a semi-colon, brainiac.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Applying to colleges should not be as stressful as it has become. Colleges shouldn’t be as expensive as they are now. High school students shouldn’t be expected to win national awards, present themselves as prodigies, professional athletes etc. They are just teens beginning their lives. They might not know what they want to do in college and yet they already expected to have achieved so much success in various fields. Its insane! They should instead be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, which in the current system is not allowed. Imagine the stress when KIDS are not allowed to make mistakes. Cause one mistake (one B or C) can mean no chance at the elite schools.
Then we wonder why our kids are anxious and stressed.

My oldest is a senior and now that we’re here, I don’t find this very stressful at all. And she doesn’t have any national awards, nor is she an athlete. She is who she is and she’s wonderful, and she’ll go to college somewhere and it will either be wonderful or just fine or terrible. But that’s how life works. No guarantees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Applying to colleges should not be as stressful as it has become. Colleges shouldn’t be as expensive as they are now. High school students shouldn’t be expected to win national awards, present themselves as prodigies, professional athletes etc. They are just teens beginning their lives. They might not know what they want to do in college and yet they already expected to have achieved so much success in various fields. Its insane! They should instead be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, which in the current system is not allowed. Imagine the stress when KIDS are not allowed to make mistakes. Cause one mistake (one B or C) can mean no chance at the elite schools.
Then we wonder why our kids are anxious and stressed.

None of this has to be true. If you look at schools outside of the 50 or so that are fetishized and obsessed about on DCUM you will find a wonderful experience with great schools that are ecstatic about having your child on their campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Applying to colleges should not be as stressful as it has become. Colleges shouldn’t be as expensive as they are now. High school students shouldn’t be expected to win national awards, present themselves as prodigies, professional athletes etc. They are just teens beginning their lives. They might not know what they want to do in college and yet they already expected to have achieved so much success in various fields. Its insane! They should instead be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, which in the current system is not allowed. Imagine the stress when KIDS are not allowed to make mistakes. Cause one mistake (one B or C) can mean no chance at the elite schools.
Then we wonder why our kids are anxious and stressed.

My oldest is a senior and now that we’re here, I don’t find this very stressful at all. And she doesn’t have any national awards, nor is she an athlete. She is who she is and she’s wonderful, and she’ll go to college somewhere and it will either be wonderful or just fine or terrible. But that’s how life works. No guarantees.

This is the experience that most of us had and out kids will have. The idea that a small number of schools should have to change their systems to the benefit of a small group of families is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Applying to colleges should not be as stressful as it has become. Colleges shouldn’t be as expensive as they are now. High school students shouldn’t be expected to win national awards, present themselves as prodigies, professional athletes etc. They are just teens beginning their lives. They might not know what they want to do in college and yet they already expected to have achieved so much success in various fields. Its insane! They should instead be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, which in the current system is not allowed. Imagine the stress when KIDS are not allowed to make mistakes. Cause one mistake (one B or C) can mean no chance at the elite schools.
Then we wonder why our kids are anxious and stressed.

None of this has to be true. If you look at schools outside of the 50 or so that are fetishized and obsessed about on DCUM you will find a wonderful experience with great schools that are ecstatic about having your child on their campus.

Correct! None of this has to be true but you can see here right on dcum how parents are obsessed with prestige and ranking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Applying to colleges should not be as stressful as it has become. Colleges shouldn’t be as expensive as they are now. High school students shouldn’t be expected to win national awards, present themselves as prodigies, professional athletes etc. They are just teens beginning their lives. They might not know what they want to do in college and yet they already expected to have achieved so much success in various fields. Its insane! They should instead be allowed to make mistakes and learn from them, which in the current system is not allowed. Imagine the stress when KIDS are not allowed to make mistakes. Cause one mistake (one B or C) can mean no chance at the elite schools.
Then we wonder why our kids are anxious and stressed.

+ 1000. Get rid of the whole industry that enables this with coaches, consultants, tutors.

I agree that a lot is broken, including inconsistent educational standards nationally, a teacher shortage, a bureaucratic and corrupt testing system etc etc.

For admissions, I think that there should be a federal requirement for all accredited schools to participate in the common data set disclosures, and update them within a specified timeframe, and I believe each round should be required to disclosed with admission stats. (ED1, ed2, etc) The greater the transparency, the less likely schools can play games and the better informed the applicant. It's appalling that T25 schools fail to participate in the process, hide round numbers, and/or are years behind in disclosing the data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the easiest ways to fix college admissions is to limit the number of times one can take the SAT/ACT. That would vastly reduce the number of 1500+ applicant pool. But college board makes money off of SAT so that is not going to happen. Its all about the money people..

Limiting the number of times you can take the SAT won’t help much because there are also a large number of prestigious schools (WASP BMW, Columbia, Chicago, etc.) that are and are going to remain test optional.

They do limit the number of times poor kids can take the SAT, so I guess that’s something.