<p>Don’t restrict the number of applications.
But let’s make a few other (admittedly, slightly utopian) changes.</p>
<p>First, revise the standardized testing system. Make it a more challenging set of tests so that fewer students get the highest scores. </p>
<p>Second, at the top schools use real interviews with an academic focus, administered by faculty or graduate students (along the lines of the Oxbridge interviews: [40</a> Oxbridge interview questions](<a href=“http://molivam42.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2008/12/14/40-oxbridge-interview-questions/]40”>40 Oxbridge interview questions | Molivam42's Weblog)). Or else give a bigger role to more challenging, thought-provoking essay questions.</p>
<p>Third, deemphasize the EC malarkey in college admissions. Completely eliminate preferences for legacies, development admits, and “story” kids. </p>
<p>Fourth, promulgate a national secondary school core curriculum with real meat to it. Eliminate regional and sectarian influence on the textbook industry. Make greater use of primary source materials starting no later than middle school. Finance public education from state revenues, not local property taxes. </p>
<p>Fifth, decrease the defense budget and use the savings to build a few more high-quality universities and colleges. But levy a national service requirement on all college graduates.</p>
<p>Sixth, nationalize the financing of all tertiary education. Make it free, or nearly so, for all students. Barring that, eliminate merit scholarships and expand financial aid programs (institutional and federal) to cover 100% of need for all students at more schools, up to a rather generous income level. </p>
<p>Steps like these could produce a fairer system without reducing freedom of choice. They would expand access to the best programs for the best students regardless of income. They would increase the number of well-educated students entering the work force and civic life. We’d still have highly selective schools but the required qualifications would be more transparent (without completely eliminating elements of subjective judgement in admissions).</p>