Shattering the Myths About College Admissions

The April 12 Magazine article "The Admissions Gap" perpetuated the inaccurate but widely held belief that college is for the rich or the super-smart. By highlighting the importance of standardized testing and the high costs associated with college preparation, the article served to advance myths that create barriers to higher education.

There is a strongly held belief -- especially among low-income families and families of color -- that college is for others. Lack of knowledge about how the college transition process works and the value of a college education are other significant barriers.

Parents and students need to know that the average annual cost of a four-year public college or university is $12,000 and that the national acceptance rate for students applying to college is 69 percent. If we continue to feed the myth that higher education is only for some, it will not matter how much we improve our public schools or make college affordable. The majority of our students will continue to believe that higher education is not critical to their success, is beyond their reach and is intended only for those with the resources to get the best test scores and access that money can buy.

JEROME A. COLE

Silver Spring

The writer is director of college counseling at Edmund Burke School in Washington.