The author remembers his article on college admission requirements quite well. It was the first article he had ever written. Now, 40 years and more than 150 articles later, he is grateful to the Editorial Committee for the opportunity to look back. Fortunately, he wrote about the history of college admission requirements, rather than attempting to foretell the future. While examining the past may have been easier than predicting what would lie ahead, he believed then and he believes now that admission counselors benefit from reflecting on their historical roots. An appreciation of how admission practices evolved provides an essential historical context for more properly evaluating contemporary thought and practice (and for better anticipating the future). With so many names, dates and organizations to keep up with, it is understandable why admission counselors sometimes lose their historical perspective. Plus, the press of day-to-day job demands makes it easy for counselors to neglect to take time away from the present to reflect on the past. Nonetheless, it continues to be the author's hope that by better understanding their professional history, admission counselors will be able to chart a clearer course for the future.