March 10, 2000

Another Roadblock for Equal Access to College: the 'Counselor Advantage'

By BILL PAUL

Fred Hargadon, dean of admission at Princeton University, looked dismayed only once during the many months that I interviewed him for a book on college admissions. That was when I suggested that having money did not give an applicant a big advantage in getting into a selective college or university.

No, Hargadon said ruefully, it does help. Attending a high school that has a really rich Advanced Placement program is a tremendous advantage. A high school that