Today a college degree is considered the ticket to a good job and the gateway to economic advancement. A student's chances of gaining admission to college, however, are often based more on parental wealth than the student's achievements. At the nation's most selective colleges, three percent of incoming freshmen come from families in the bottom…

A fact book about 260 New England colleges, universities, and postsecondary institutes presents addresses and telephone numbers, tuition and fees, room and board charges, levels of offerings, application deadlines, admission requirements, and enrollments. Summary tables, charts, and graphs describe the institutions on a state-by-state basis.…