Changes occuring in the student body of small private liberal arts colleges between 1975 and 1983 include shifts in college choice factors, the perceived importance of the school in getting a job after graduation, and cost considerations. Colleges must carefully develop new markets before crises occur. (MSE)

Media ranking of colleges is often superficial and only further confuses families and prospective students. In addition, some colleges are excluding students to present a "selective" profile. Rationality in admissions can return, when parents and students become knowledgeable about the process, counselors interpret changes, and colleges give…

Response of colleges and universities to surveys from publishers of college guides and popular newsstand magazines is discussed, and considerations in developing a standard survey response are explored. These include the advantages and limitations of standardized information formats, how much of the information reaches prospective students, how…

The concept and history of upper-level colleges, which offer junior and senior years of study leading to bachelor's degrees, are reviewed. Most of the colleges have offered master's degree programs in addition to junior- and senior-level studies. Planners intended that most of the upper-level colleges be placed in geographical areas where no…

Proven market/institutional research techniques and technological developments in computer systems that can be used by college admissions offices to enhance recruitment efforts are discussed in 13 articles. Titles and authors of the articles are as follows: "Student Reactions to College Recruiting Techniques" (Arthur D. Lopatin);…

Difficulties facing private colleges and universities in the future are considered, with attention to the situation in North Carolina. An important determinant of the future of independent higher education will be public policy. Three major considerations include: private colleges and universities are public resources and serve a predominantly…

Questions about finding information about colleges, deciding which school to attend, and suggested changes in the application and admissions process are answered by six high school students randomly called throughout the nation. (MLW)

A case is presented for improving information provided to postsecondary students and their families. Improvements needed to make information more useful to the individual are suggested. Several current trends are outlined that require new institutional responses to information needs, and six standards for defining "good" information are provided.…

The role of marketing in higher education is discussed in light of declining student enrollment and the problems of retrenchment. It is suggested that, rather than an unconditional acceptance of the marketing approach to institutional survival, there may soon come a time when some colleges should close their doors. (SF)

As the structure of education has become more complex, as participation in education and related expectations have increased, and as the cost of higher education has increased dramatically, the transition between high school and college has become more complicated. This discussion explores several dimensions of the transition process, including…

Small rural social systems tend to have great impact on the social behavior and performance of rural youth in higher education. The issue is the degree to which rural youth from a social environment requiring active and continuous social involvement can exist in a larger social system which may require more passive and observational modes of…

The obstacles to aid-and-access research on minority students include: inadequate models of the decision process, heterogeneous subpopulations, and the momentary equality of 1977. Until research yields qualitative knowledge of why similarly situated teenagers make different decisions about college, analysis of minority aid-and-entry decisions will…

While the primary issue in the future of college student financial aid, pertaining especially to the role of the College Scholarship Service, is fairness in awarding aid in the context of extreme college aid competition, other issues include college quality and choice, who should pay for education, parental responsibility, educational…

National Merit scholars from Indiana were surveyed to determine where they went to college and how they paid for their education. Many respondents expressed bitterness because, although among the best and the brightest, they had received no financial aid due to family income. Corporations should provide scholarships for this group. (RM)

As colleges are forced to compete for students, the voice of the student as consumer grows louder. Recommendations of the Carnegie Council on Policy Studies in Higher Education regarding how colleges, school districts, and information centers can furnish prospective students with information that they need as educational consumers are discussed.…