This paper examines admission policies and practices in U.S. colleges and universities, examining practices from colonial and ante-bellum colleges to advances made beginning in 1870, when entrance requirements were influenced by the transformation of colleges into universities. These 19th century changes were the forerunner of waves of reform in the 20th century, during which school/college relations, the use of standardized tests, uniform curricula, flexibility in dealing with pluralistic groups of students, and diversity of academic programs and courses were the focus of debate. Embedded in admission policies and practices in the 1990s are many of the social, economic, political, and cultural consequences of three decades of rapid change; recruitment, selection, and admission to U.S. institutions is energetic and aggressive; and viewed from an international perspective, there is the increasing recognition that universities are institutions that belong to the international community. Distinctive features of modern practice include professionalization of staff functions and the diffusion of policy and decision making. The academic standards and criteria that dominate admission decisions and choices continue to be secondary school preparation and standardized tests. The study concludes, however, that at a time when school and college relations are undergoing rapid change, that admission policies and practices must once again be reconsidered. (Contains 18 references.) (SM)