In an effort to be hip, the College Board asked one-third of SAT-takers this year to write an essay on whether reality TV shows are beneficial or harmful. That was a bad choice on multiple levels, and an excellent metaphor for much of what's wrong with the whole college admissions race.
The blogosphere has erupted in a fury since Villanova University Law School admitted it has been lying about the statistics of its incoming classes for years to boost its rankings. But Villanova deserves credit for coming clean, because many other universities are probably doing the same thing.
The Princeton Review ranks colleges based on all sorts of factors: academics, best party schools, best classroom experience, etc. And now, the most and least beautiful campuses. Are they kidding? Have they seen what most students' dorm rooms look like?