New York City high school graduates, regardless of previous academic history, were eligible for admission to one of the free city colleges in September 1970. That free college costs a lot more money than free high school is part of the problem with which the new student population had to cope under Open Admissions. For some students the combination of financial and academic pressures, along with family resistance, made the open door a revolving door; for others obstacles were meant to be overcome. The adaptation of the institution to the person and the person to the institution is described, using material drawn from the author's counseling experience at Kingsborough Community College during the pre- and post-Open Admissions years from 1969 to the present. The author suggests that in the near future it will become necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of open admissions. The primary interia used will probably be percentages. (Author)