Perspectives concerning college admissions and the transition to postsecondary education are analyzed, based on June 1982 hearings and discussions held in Chicago, Illinois, for the National Commission on Excellence in Education. Issues addressed in the public hearing include: (1) the relationship between declining enrollments and admissions standards; (2) the impact of economic and financial aid changes on college attendance and student choice; (3) the comparative roles of testing, coursework, and grades in admissions standards; (4) the role of parents in the transition from secondary to postsecondary education; and (5) the process of student adaptation to the academic and institutional demands of college. The principle emphasis of the public hearing was secondary education. Themes include the following: education has a significant and complex relationship to our national purpose; articulation is a diffuse and poorly understood concept; college admissions policies, particularly those relying on formulas, cannot play a significant role in the enhancement of educational excellence; and guidance and advisement are important supports for students; college-level programs offered in high school. Issues for further examination include: federal and state roles in education; the high school curriculum; parental roles and perceptions; and identifying and preserving what is working well in American education. (SW)