The Arms Race for College Admission

I listen to Marketplace on National Public Radio. The following story caught my attention. The premise is that, to be accepted to a selective college a student must demonstrate a variety of outstanding skills. My experience has been that, if being a student athlete or musician, or whatever special experience you bring, is what got you across the threshold of a specific school, then you're likely not a good fit academically for that school.

Of course, the exception is the student who is offered a full grant-in-aid athletic scholarship.  In that case nobody really expected you to excel academically anyway.