The author discusses the many credentials students rack up as they pursue acceptance at an elite university. One of these is SAT scores. What is the origin of the SAT? What is its purpose and what is it intended to measure? What criticisms have been leveled against it? Do you think it should continue to carry such weight in admissions decisions?

In Chapter 2, Deresiewicz mentions the groundbreaking tenure of Kingman Brewster as president of Yale University. Review and discuss his presidency. What changes did he make that were so groundbreaking? How did they affect the curriculum at Yale and the makeup of its student body? Did they also influence higher education in general? If so, in what ways?

Choose a non-American country and research the requirements for admissions to its top universities. How are they the same and how are they different from those in the United States? Which system do you think is better and why?