"How are college students treated in this brave new academic world? Not very well, at least not if this year's spate of bad news articles is any indication."

I don't know that this year's spate of bad news articles is any indication. College admissions are perennially weighted towards the already-advantaged, but once you're in, I have a hard time believing that motivated students were better off 30 years ago. The number of programs and opportunities for people willing to go for them is growing constantly.

Robg, your headline asks that question like it's a bad thing. There are certainly pitfalls, but it seems that if universities compete with each other more, students can only win.