Two thousand parents and 3,000 unrelated high school seniors were surveyed to learn their needs and preferences in getting information about colleges. Both groups have similar concerns: finances first, then academic factors. It is suggested that different media may be effective for sending different messages about institutions and programs. (MSE)

Little attention has been given to how people in the market view quality in colleges. Research that focused on indicators of quality that are credible to high-ability high-school seniors and their parents and on varying perspectives of quality is described. (Author/MLW)

Examined sources that students preferred for obtaining information on colleges by interviewing students who had taken the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test in 1983. Enrolled friends were most preferred source of basic information, followed by personal visits, published guides, and admission representatives. Also examined sources on…

Presented are several of the techniques that have been used as part of a comprehensive market research program at Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota). The basic focus is on regional segments in Carleton's applicant pool. Carleton's position in the market is examined in relation to selected types of schools with which it competes for…

Research on college choice as it relates to students' characteristics is reviewed, and the choice process is shown to be a complex series of activities, with individuals participating in it differently. Parent education is a stronger influence than race or gender. Groups are likely to respond to different marketing strategies. (MSE)

This report examines how students, especially those with high abilities, choose a college based on information from four areas: (1) published research comparing various schools' subjects as well as some unpublished comparative data from various sources; (2) young adult fiction that deals with issues related to college choice; (3) media accounts of…

The extent to which financial concerns cause high-ability high school students who desire highly-selective colleges to choose less-selective institutions was investigated, as was the influence of student and parent characteristics on this decision. Data collected from 1,483 students in six cities in the United States show that the more a…

Aspects of colleges that were important to parents of high school seniors for the process of selecting a college were assessed in a 1978-79 survey. A sample of parents of high school seniors who had combined Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test scores of 100 or greater and who were residents of six metropolitan areas in the United States were…