The assumption behind the fierce competition for admission to elite colleges and universities is clear: The more elite the school one attends, the brighter one's future. That assumption, however, may well be flawed. The research examined recently by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights provides strong reason to believe that attending the most competitive school is not always best--at least for students who aspire to a degree in science or engineering. In this article, the author discusses the research examined by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that focuses on the effects of race-based admissions policies on science and engineering majors, and suggests that, as a result of these policies, America now has fewer physicians, dentists, engineers, scientists, and other science-oriented professionals than the country would have had under a policy of color-blindness. While there are still a few unanswered questions, the author suggests that it is time for students to be advised of the issue and allowed to make their own decision about their future. (Contains 2 tables and 47 footnotes.)