Is going to college worth getting there?
By Carl Staab

	While many of the seniors are already undergoing the college-selection process, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors don’t yet know much about it.  So I thought I’d give a little preview to tell you what you shouldn’t be looking forward to.
	First of all, a brochure arrives in the mail.  (Repeat this step many times.)  These brochures have limited room for pictures, so the college will select shots that are supposed to display their diversity, academic quality, and general desirableness.  Invariably this means that all brochures end up using nearly identical pictures.  For example, in any group of four, there will be one Asian person, one Hispanic person, one black person, and one white person.  Two of them will be male and two female.  Many groups of four or so just like this will be shown: engaging in physical activity (often Frisbee and/or varsity sports); chatting with a professor; and working in a classroom (often a lab).  Don’t forget the obligatory pretty picture of a building on campus.
	Between these pictures, the brochure will be promoting its college with such statements as: “We pride ourselves on our academic program here at…” and “We have over 200 activities here, including varsity sports, intramural sports, a student newspaper, a band, and student government.”  Amazingly enough, most small schools seem to come with “all the resources of a large university”, while most large schools have “small class sizes like those at a small college”.  The brochure usually comes with a letter telling you how special you are and inviting you to read the brochure to discover the “unique” opportunities available there.
	Finally, once you actually sort through all the mail (or throw it away) and decide to visit some colleges, it's time for the “Group Information Session”.  Telling you that they want the “best fit for you”, admissions officers will tell you all about their college in no uncertain terms, as in this example:
	Q: How important are SAT scores in applications?
	A: They’re important.  SATs give us a basic guideline for evaluation of the student.
	(15 minutes later)
	Q: So what sort of SAT scores do we need to get in?
	A: I wouldn’t worry about that.  SAT scores aren’t that important for admission.
	Following the information session, there will probably be a tour.  A student who is being paid by the school to answer all questions completely truthfully and objectively will show you around.
	Don’t worry, though, it’s not as bad as it sounds.  Millions of people have gone through this same bewildering process.  Somehow, they came out okay.