Higher standards for higher education.

Admissions standards are going to be raised for the 2002 and 2004 fall semesters.

Requiring more and more to be admitted to Purdue should not be a point of shame. Purdue is, after all, a Big Ten school with a name instantly recognizable across the country and internationally reputable engineering and technology programs (among others).

This is a strong solution to cutting back on overcrowding and ensures that Purdue will live up to its already strong reputation.

This also forces high schools to hold higher standards of excellence if their students are to be able to go to college. Higher standards here encourage other universities to follow our example.

Too often college is thought of as a sort of sequel to high school instead of an institution of higher education. College can be a good time, yes, but it's a good time that comes as a reward for hard work.

Though it may seem cruel to continually raise the standards of admissions, remember that every student here reflects the weight your degree will carry with it. More students who barely squeaked through their SATs and took blow-off classes all through their junior and senior years of high school will negatively affect the reputation of your University. As long as admission to this school isn't nearly impossible, it's fair.

We do have to strike a balance between being an accessible state University and being an institution that's practically inaccessible.

Admissions standards should be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure that the students who come here for a degree deserve it and will work to prove themselves.

After all, being a Boilermaker is a privilege, not a right.

Editorial Board: Keith Thomas, Tom McHenry, Melissa Davis and Laura Pelner.