Table of Contents
- Why the College Admissions ‘Game’ Is Broken
- College Presidents and Professors Speak Out
- Prestige vs. Fit: What Really Matters
- What Taylor Swift Taught Us About College Choice
- How to Rewrite the Rules—Together
- Sources
Why the College Admissions ‘Game’ Is Broken
For decades, college admissions in the U.S. has felt less like an educational pathway and more like a high-stakes casino—where legacy status, donor connections, and polished résumés often matter more than potential or passion. In a recent guest essay, author Jeffrey Selingo called it “the college game,” and readers didn’t just agree—they demanded change.
“Almost everything about ‘the game’ of college admissions is broken,” wrote Karen K. Petersen, president of Hendrix College, in a letter to The New York Times. She’s not alone. Across campuses and communities, educators are sounding the alarm: the system isn’t just unfair—it’s actively harming the students it’s meant to serve.
College Presidents and Professors Speak Out
In response to Selingo’s critique, higher education leaders shared raw, honest reflections:
- Dr. Karen Petersen (Hendrix College): “No single institution can afford to ignore entrenched norms… But together we can change them.”
- A Harvard professor (anonymous): “My Ivy League degrees helped me professionally—but many equally talented people with ‘less prestigious’ degrees thrive in competitive fields.”
Both emphasized a core truth: the obsession with brand-name colleges distracts from what truly matters—finding the right academic and social fit for each student.
Prestige vs. Fit: What Really Matters
Research consistently shows that students who attend colleges where they feel supported—regardless of ranking—graduate at higher rates, report greater satisfaction, and achieve long-term career success.
Yet families keep chasing “elite” acceptance, often at great financial and emotional cost. Why?
“Because the system rewards optics over outcomes,” explains Dr. Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce. “We’ve conflated selectivity with quality—and that’s a dangerous myth.”
What Taylor Swift Taught Us About College Choice
Surprisingly, pop culture offers a powerful metaphor. In her 2024 Eras Tour documentary, Taylor Swift reflected on choosing her own path: “I didn’t wait for permission. I built what I needed.”
That mindset—agency over approval—is exactly what students need in college selection. Instead of asking “Which school will impress others?” they should ask:
- “Where will I be challenged but not crushed?”
- “Does this school offer the majors, mentors, and community I value?”
- “Can I afford this without drowning in debt?”
As one admissions counselor put it: “Taylor didn’t become a legend by playing someone else’s game. Neither will your student.”
How to Rewrite the Rules—Together
Change won’t come from one college acting alone. It requires collective action:
- Simplify financial aid: Replace confusing FAFSA forms with transparent, upfront pricing.
- Demystify admissions: Publish clear criteria—not vague “holistic review” buzzwords.
- Reward fit over fame: Highlight graduate outcomes (employment, well-being) instead of acceptance rates.
- End legacy preferences: Over 70% of Americans oppose them—yet elite schools cling to them.
“Higher education is a public good,” Petersen reminds us. “Its promise is that investing in individuals improves communities.” To keep that promise, we must stop gaming the system—and start rebuilding it.
