Education: A More Perfect Union

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Not the least of the colleges' admission problems is weighing—and sometimes deciphering—the messages that schools send in behalf of applicants. In the College, Board Review, Director of Admissions Jonathan Pearson excerpts some of the recent "recommendations" that inundated Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. ¶"Roger appears personable and alert—but he isn't." (No trouble with that one.) ¶"If you need him, take him, but don't expect too much. His father's a Dartmouth man." (Director Pearson cannot remember what happened to him.) ¶ "Walter is not an outstanding student, but his family background is exceptional and his character impeccable. I can assure you that he will never be a dope fiend or a barfly." (Rejected.) ¶ "It is worth noting that this boy has been caught three times smoking on the school bus." (Rejected by one vote, with smoking members of the admissions committee unanimous in disapproval.) ¶"We have started to mold this boy. but have made only a modest beginning. Charles remains on the whole quite good-natured, even under severest discipline—and he has had plenty of that.'' (Accepted.)

¶"I have heard that this boy is related to a former president of your college. Would this make any difference? For his sake, I hope so." (Rejected.) fl "James is the son of a Union alumnus of the same name. He has been with us through seven long years of ineptitude and frustration. We are anxious to pass him along to another institution, but, alas, doubt that it should be yours." (Accepted but flunked out.)

¶ "Union would be good for this boy. His mother has remarried and now resides in Palm Beach." (Accepted.)

Concludes Admissions Director Pearson: "Since I may not have the floor again, I would like to ask for more courage and less double talk from secondary-school administrators.''