New York Times

A recent Opinion piece in the New York Times titled Athletes Are The Problem, begins:  "Like it or not, 40 percent of the class at most top colleges are reserved for "hooked" kids…" This is the kind of media madness that students and parents find so discouraging. For example, we question much of the data in the piece. Regardless, the implicit message is that if you want your student to have a competitive advantage with athletes -- legacies, minorities, fill-in-the-blank -- then you had better find your own ace in the hole and hire a private counselor.  But applying to college is not about gaming the system. Instead, let's focus the public conversation where it can be most helpful -- on the best way for students to move through the process in a healthy and productive way.  One way to start? Ignore the hysterical headlines.