What to Do about the Cost of College

I was looking through my personal library the other day and found an old paperback that I had purchased when I was in high school (back around the time that the earth was still cooling from its formation). It was called How to Be Accepted by the College of Your Choice (Completely Revised 1961-1962 Edition), by Benjamin Fine. The cover blurbs proclaim "As many as nine out of ten applicants are rejected by the colleges of their first choice." Things were tough even in 1960 for Ivy League and other selective school applicants. "The bestselling [sic] book in its field!" It may well have been one of the only books in its field back then, very unlike today. Also, "231 splendid colleges seeking applicants!" "Splendid"? 'Gotta love those exclamation points. And let's not forget "A Special Bonus Section showing for the first time how your application will be judged against others by nearly 1,000 accredited colleges in the U.S.A." I'm wondering why I would want my application to be judged by nearly 1,000 accredited colleges. Time to call in Strunk and White.

The amazing thing about finding this book is looking at the costs of top colleges back in the Dark Ages. A quick tour of the table of contents reveals a book not all that different from those of the same genre today. We find chapters on high school grades, the SAT, ACT, high school curricula, extracurriculars, recommendations, college visits, applications, an in-depth college profile (Connecticut College), money matters, and an application timetable. The usual fare.