On November 7, 2010, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) hosted a national executive forum during its annual strategic enrollment management conference. Titled "The College Rankings Debate and Future Implications: Assessing the Value of an Institution's Undergraduate Experience," the…

Bridgewater State University (BSU) is a public institution that falls under the Carnegie classification of Master's Colleges and Universities. BSU is committed to serving students in the New England region. This student population includes a sizeable number of underrepresented students. BSU is dealing with intense pressure to serve these students…

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can represent one of the largest investments of human and financial resources by a higher education institution. They also bring a significant process reengineering aspect to the institution and the associated implementation project through the integration of compiled industry best practices into the…

Issues and considerations likely to be confronted in designing and constructing longitudinal institutional databases or studies are examined, including operational definitions of retention and attrition. The intent is to reduce current limitations in dropout research. (MSE)

The use of computer graphics techniques in a study of attrition at the University of Akron is outlined to illustrate potential applications. The techniques produce information that is more readily interpreted than the usual data tables. Specific software information and illustrations are included. (MSE)

Boston College (Massachusetts) conducted focus group research on its admission bulletin during high school visits by having students express preferences for bulletin cover format and content. Students expressed enjoyment of the task, and the process invigorated the visit. The findings resulted in a new cover design researched at little expense to…

The use of contingency tables in creating a statistical profile of a college student population is explained. The method provides simultaneous cross-indexed frequency distribution of two database fields. Common uses are discussed, and application is illustrated in a hypothetical student retention study. Extensions for nonnumerical fields and…

The history, administration, and function of the University of Alberta's annual survey of graduating students, conducted as a performance indicator to assess quality of educational services, are described. Selected results from the 1993 survey are presented, and observations about factors seen as contributing to the success of this and other…

A study of the needs of adult undergraduate students at Kent State University (Ohio) is described. The study examined enrollment trends for traditional and adult populations, used a focus group approach to examine common adult student experiences, and produced a profile of this population, with suggestions for enhancing the college experiences of…

Potsdam College's development and implementation of a survey concerning the institution's public image to enhance enrollment planning and recruitment efforts is outlined. Results of the survey are analyzed in terms of the project's overall planning objective. (MSE)

Misconceptions regarding the work of college admissions officers and the role of admissions in expanding access to education prompted this review of applied research in college admissions. Focus is on two areas of research and evaluation: college staff visits to schools and college choice decisions made by applicants who were offered admission.…

Research suggests that students make their college choice based on their perceptions of the institution's image. Smart, aggressive, well-administered institutions see their image as their most significant asset and manage it carefully by prioritizing audiences, conducting market research, establishing clear goals, planning, and implementing the…

Benchmarking, associated with quality management philosophy currently common in higher education institutions, identifies processes considered to be the standard to emulate. A benchmark student administrative services area represents the best related processes brought together in one institution. A benchmark institution is described. It is argued…

A study of job satisfaction at a college registrar's office investigated overall job satisfaction, physical working environment, motivational culture, and worker needs. Findings included significant differences in satisfaction between registration and admissions units. Recommendations for improved sampling, choice of variables, and research design…

A study at one institution found significant correlations between students' scores on the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners test and academic achievement data. Results indicate that it is not always course subject matter that influences the relationship between course grade and board scores, but may instead be the ability to assimilate…