From calls to close borders to intolerance for non-citizens, growing nationalism within the US and other countries threatens the global nature of higher education. How are college counselors advising students in this new political climate? And are there differences depending on where counselors reside in the world? "The Journal" asked…

In 1973, the domestic climate was surprisingly similar to today in that the economy was bad, unemployment was high, an energy crisis was looming, and there was social and political unrest across the country. At that time, a college education was considered expensive, yet as is true now, education was seen as the doorway to economic opportunity.…

This paper is a response to Clinton F. Conrad's article, "Beyond the Folklore." Conrad's strategy for assessing undergraduate quality echoes the sentiments espoused by many admission and college counseling professionals over the years at various workshops for students and families that focus on navigating the process. As transcendent as the…

This article recounts the authors' experiences in being in a Posse and how it enriches the college experience and changes an individual's perspective and goals. The authors offer their stories on how the program has changed them.

In the era of globalization, accountability, and benchmarking, university rankings have achieved a kind of iconic status. The major ones--the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU, or the "Shanghai rankings"), the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds Limited) World University Rankings, and the "Times Higher Education" World…

In 2007, "About Campus" published the author's article "Humble and Hopeful: Welcoming First-Generation Poor and Working-Class Students to College." It has been used as a handout in various student orientations, included as a chapter in Teresa Heinz Housel and Vickie Harvey's "The Invisibility Factor: Administrators and…

This paper provides a critique of recent Bourdieusian research into the higher education (HE) choice process. Specifically, Ball et al. (2002) maintain that class-related differences in students' psycho-social dispositions in Years 12 and 13, the "landscape of choice", shape their intentions or "decisions" to participate in HE and their selection…

This paper expresses serious reservations regarding the increasingly popular Bourdieu-inspired notions of "institutional habitus" and "family habitus" in education research. Although sympathetic to the overall theoretical approach and persuaded of the veracity and importance of the empirical findings they are used to illuminate, it argues that,…

The reform of a system that is interconnected with other systems and factors demands that its stability be assessed constantly, both as a whole and in its components. This was the purpose of a survey designed to discover, in connection with education, the perceptions, expectations, and attitudes of parents of upper-grade students in four regions…

This summer, Forbes magazine published its new rankings of "America's Best Colleges," implying that it had developed a methodology that would give the public the information that it needed to choose a college wisely. "U.S. News & World Report," which in 1983 published the first annual ranking, just announced its latest ratings last week--including…

It has been exactly twenty years since the term "university rankings" came into being in China, and people have become relatively rational about the process, after an impetuous beginning. In a sense, the appearance of university rankings in China indicates the birth of something new, or the beginning of social voices in higher education…

Each year thousands of Native students enroll at tribal colleges. Many say the close proximity to home is a draw for them. Others check out the facilities, and some might look over the staff roster and ask how many Native instructors work at the college. Several factors go into their decisions to enroll in a particular tribal college. For their…

American higher education institutions, states this author, cannot reach or advance underserved Americans without deliberate and intentional action. Ideas are important. Great speeches and stimulating books inspire and motivate. Yet, this is not enough. Decisive action, guided by clear goals, and sustained commitment, is required to capture the…

Examines folklore (conventional wisdom) about college quality and critiques five key myths that misguide prospective students in selecting a college. Suggests multiple criteria framework for assessing college quality. (CM)

Asserts that no one can be certain whether a particular student will be accepted into their college/university of choice. Acknowledges anxiety and lack of control felt by prospective students and their parents. Recommends prospective students' families view the college search as an educational decision-making process. (CM)