Studies have shown that college enrollment among students of color is increasing (McTighe Musil, Garcia, Hudgins, Nettles, Sedlacek, & Smith, 1999). In the last decade, enrollment of students of color in higher education has increased by over 48%, including a gain of approximately 15% since 1995 (Harvey, 2002). Although these statistics indicate…

A sample of 3,484 incoming first-year students at a large, mid-Atlantic University were surveyed to assess a variety of attitudinal and behavioral variables pertinent to the college experience. The current study focused on how student value system orientation, or the degree to which values are open or closed, related to key aspects of college…

A survey of 197 entering university students during summer orientation found students had significantly more negative attitudes toward Arabs in 2 situations (boarding an airplane, getting financial help), and more positive attitudes in buying a used car from a salesperson. Findings suggest attitudes toward Arabs have become more tolerant since a…

The structural relations of the seven non-cognitive dimensions proposed by W. E. Sedlacek and G. C. Brooks (1976) and traditional definitions of academic ability, as indicated by Statistical Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, to first semester grade point average (GPA) and persistence after three and five semesters were examined. Random samples of…

The characteristics and attitudes of 982 incoming freshmen who attended 2-day orientation programs at the University of Maryland, College Park, were compared to those of 566 incoming freshmen and 378 transfer students who attended 1-day orientation programs. The University New Student Census (UNSC), a 78-item questionnaire consisting of…

Comparison of the responses of Asian, black, and white honors students attending a first-year seminar at a large research university found that Asians differed most often from white and black students on all issues. Academic issues most often engendered group differences. Results suggest that racial subgroups in the honors student population have…