"Matching Students to Opportunity" expands on the discussion of a critical issue in college access and success: the match between prospective students and the colleges in which they enroll. Research indicates that ensuring a good match significantly increases a student's chance of graduating. The contributors to this volume argue that…

From September 2012 universities and other higher education institutions (HEIs) in England have been able to charge up to £9,000 per year in tuition fees, which had previously been capped at £3,375 per year. Against this backdrop, this report explores the relative importance of tuition fees on the choices made between universities by students, and…

Recognizing the current administration's focus on improving postsecondary access, this study examines resource allocation patterns and the predictive power of these resources in increasing the likelihood of 2- and 4-year college enrollment among low-income students. Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study, college choice decision-making…

The study examined expressed reasons for choosing the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) by undergraduate students majoring in social work there. Responses of 205 social work majors to a questionnaire found that these students chose UNI primarily because of location, size, cost, the presence of a social work program, to get a good education, to be…

This report responds to a congressional request to assess the availability of information on the extent to which the increasing burden of student debt affects: (1) students' choices about whether and where to enroll in college and whether or how much to borrow; (2) the length of time it takes to earn the baccalaureate degree and student choices…

This report uses data from the 1995-96 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study to examine the factors that first time students consider when choosing an institution for postsecondary education. Specifically, it describes the importance of reputation, location, price, and influence, and assesses how this varies with student characteristics.…

The collegiate options considered by more than one-half million high school seniors in the eastern third of the nation are analyzed, and perspectives are offered on enrollment planning. A framework for public and institutional policies is provided, along with a vocabulary to describe the actual workings of the higher education market. The origins…

The transition process from high school to college is considered from the perspective of a high school practitioner. Educational, social/personal, and financial factors that influence student planning are discussed. It is suggested that the secondary school must begin as early as the freshman year to help plan the curriculum the student will…

The study examined the ways in which status cultures and organizational environments influence high school students' college decision-making. Interviews were conducted with 12 white female high school seniors from four northern California high schools (a low socio-economic status(SES)/low organization public school, a low-SES/high organization…