Current Issues

Admissions standards at colleges and universities have become controversial among educators and students alike. Although some institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada have highly selective admissions standards, others admit virtually any high school graduate able to meet minimum academic requirements. Many educators feel that every student should complete high school and that everyone desiring access to higher education should have an opportunity to pursue a college degree. However, critics of lax admissions standards argue that admitting large numbers of students who are academically unprepared for a college education often compromises the quality of the institution. Moreover, from the 1970s to the 1990s grade point averages have risen steadily at nearly all U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities, causing many educators and even some students to complain that academic standards are too low.

A) Explain the purpose of application forms, standardized tests, application essays, personal interviews and campus visits.

B) Translate the words and phrases in bold and remember them.

C) Compare admission requirements in the USA and Canada with those in Russia and get ready to speak about it.