A group of 24 college admission professionals published an open letter this week in Inside Higher Ed.

Their audience: Students and parents.

Their message: A pledge to provide each student “with the opportunity to realize the very best in themselves, in others, and in the world they will help shape” amid a college admission process that can seem overwhelming.

“To those students applying to college this fall, we say to you—we hear you, and we are here to help. Out of the thousands of higher education institutions in the United States—be it a four-year college or university, a two-year college, or a technical training program—not a single one runs an Office of Judgement,” the letter reads. “The purpose of an office of admission is to authentically represent our institution and the experience it can provide. We review each applicant and determine if that student’s talents, goals, and interests will be best served by our school, without exceeding our capacity to serve all students who enroll.”

The letter goes on to state: “It’s been said that no one goes into college admissions because they want to see how many students they can reject. This isn’t always easy for students to understand, especially when there are more qualified applicants than room to admit them. But that is a limitation of the college, not the students. There are many places where you can shine, and the application process gives you the opportunity to explore all of them.”

Representatives from public and private colleges across the US signed the letter, which also includes advice for parents and first-year college students.

Read the full letter and see a list of the signatories.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.