This paper examines the factors influencing preferences for undergraduate study using administrative data on applications to the state university system of Sri Lanka, which is characterized by centralized administration, rule-based admissions, and virtually costless applications. The feature of costless applications implies that students are…

Using a rich and unique nationally representative sample of a cohort of young adults selected in the late 1970s and surveyed routinely through the 2010s, this study characterizes patterns in college enrollment with respect to the timing of initial enrollment, enrollment interruptions, and graduation (or non-completion) and investigates the…

In this article, the author updates his prior studies of LSAT® scores (Nieswiadomy 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2017) using current data for 2022-23 law school applicants, finding that economics majors remain at or near the top of all applicants. Results of the previous studies showing economics majors scored well on the LSAT® have often been posted on…

Background: Graduate admissions in psychology continue to be a popular and competitive venture, with the demand for new graduate student opportunities exceeding the annual supply. Objective: Our present work was a partial replication and extension of Appleby and Appleby (2006). We added closed- and open-ended questions regarding social media to…

Background/Context: The subject of this study concerns the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), a college access program that has operated in Michigan since 2010 to promote postsecondary access and equity statewide. The state of Michigan has trailed nationally in educational quality and attainment for the past several decades, ranking 38th in…

While established educational pathways exist in many nations, the Philippines offers a unique opportunity to investigate the development of entirely new ones. Prior to the 2010s, compulsory education only extended through grade 10, with all students on a general track. The implementation of the 2013 Enhanced Basic Education Act significantly…

Objective: Community college baccalaureate (CCB) programs are expanding across the nation, particularly in California--home of the largest and most ethnically/racially diverse community college system in the nation. CCB programs provide many benefits, two of which include providing an accessible and affordable pathway towards baccalaureate…

Going to university is a key route to enhancing life opportunities for young people and for promoting social mobility. Despite the action of widening participation programs, substantial sociodemographic inequalities in participation persist. Few studies have focused on the role that school attended may play in exacerbating or mitigating these…

This descriptive, cross-sectional, mixed methods study focused on an anonymous state-wide nonprofit organization in a mid-Atlantic state and the perspectives and insights of the mentors who work directly with first-generation immigrant high school students as they assist their mentees through the college and scholarship application process. The…

Amid a troubled overhaul of the federal process for applying for student financial aid, the share of Wisconsin high school seniors completing the application so far this year has plummeted. The largest declines have been at schools with greater proportions of marginalized students. While the gap may be narrowing as students near commitment…

Year 12 students in Big Picture Learning schools across Australia now use portfolios and interviews to apply for and gain entry to their first choice of university degree. They receive admission on the strength of portfolio evidence mapped to a new non-ATAR qualification, known as the International Big Picture Learning Credential (IBPLC). Since…

Recent discussions on enrollment in higher education have centered around the "Enrollment Cliff." The notion holds that due to changing demographics, colleges and universities across the U.S. will see a dramatic decline in enrollment starting in 2025. The enrollment cliff poses legitimate challenges to schools around the country. Schools…

As the technological world continues to grow and expand, the use of social media marketing continues to increase. Graduate programs looking to increase the number of applications received can turn to Facebook to market their programs. This study looks at the use of self-presentation, from a graduate program level of Facebook use, to create content…

For the past decade and a half, many institutions of higher education have asked about high school disciplinary experiences, including suspensions, on their applications. Advocates have argued that this "discipline box" has a negative effect on suspended students' likelihood to apply and be accepted to institutions of higher education…

Without standardized tests, college admissions may reward high schools' reputation over effectiveness--a phenomenon we study in Peru. We first estimate the impact of selective public exam schools on college outcomes by leveraging the admissions mechanism in a single- and multiple-offers RDD. Despite no conclusive evidence of learning gains,…