Addresses the question of why there is a decrease in college participation by blacks and whether this indicates that American society is becoming more racist. It explains how low expectations about going to college can negatively affect secondary school performance and how government policies contributed to those expectations. (GR)

Discusses the false assumptions that indicate students are less intelligent than in the past. Topics include a historical perspective of college student problems; standards that kept all but the elite out of education; S.A.T. (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores; social influences; the complexity of today's economy; and the importance of reading.…

Polls dealing with American public education conducted since 1936 are examined, and over 60 items were chosen to illustrate: (1) changes in public opinion since 1960 that might have altered students' evaluations of college attendance or academic excellence, and (2) changes prior to 1960 that might have affected the quality of preparation for…