The role of testing in determining college admissions and the impact of that testing on high school students are commanding increasing attention. There is emerging evidence that admissions decisions made solely on the basis of high school record can serve the college as well or better than decisions based, at least in part, on scores obtained on…

This staff report on unserved students (students who commit to attend but do not enroll at a college or university) focuses on whether adequate financial resources could be a reason for their non-attendance. Applicants were categorized by need and by the date of their application for financial aid; and further classified as potential students of…

This paper describes the four major changes that have taken place in the Israeli Matriculation Examinations since the early 1950's. Before the changes, students at the end of the 10th grade took three mandatory examinations, and students at the end of the 12th grade took four mandatory examinations and two examinations that depended on the course…

The impact of different admissions policies on Black, Hispanic, and White applicants was investigated, using College Board data. Five undergraduate admissions models were assessed. The single-index minimum model uses a single index, such as high school grade point average (GPA), to determine eligibility. The multiple-index minimum model uses two…

A multiple matching test--a 24-item Hebrew vocabulary test--was examined, in which distractors from several items are pooled into one list at the test's end. Construction of such tests was feasible. Reliability, validity, and reduction of random guessing were satisfactory when applied to data from 717 applicants to Israeli universities. (SLD)

In light of significant restructuring in New Jersey higher education and shrinking public funds, this project comprehensively examined New Jersey's system of financial aid. It was conducted through the compilation and assessment of program data as well as through interviews with several individuals in the New Jersey higher education community. The…

Data from graduate student applications at a large Western university were used to determine which factors were the best predictors of success in graduate school, as defined by cumulative graduate grade point average. Two statistical models were employed and compared: artificial neural networking and simultaneous multiple regression. Both models…

This study applied probability models in a four-year case study at a selective liberal arts college. The study found that, while admissions decisions matched institutional goals for student characteristics, discrepancies between acceptance and enrollment decisions frustrated the institution's efforts to achieve diversity and highlighted the…

Most Americans expect the nation's colleges and universities to promote the goal of social mobility to make it possible for anyone with ability and motivation to succeed. But according to Robert Haveman and Timothy Smeeding, income-related gaps both in access to and in success in higher education are large and growing. In the top-tier colleges and…

A model of the decision-making process for college choice that has three phases (predisposition, search, and choice) is proposed, and the implications of this model for college and government policy formation are examined. (MSE)

In an attempt to provide improved First Time in College (FTIC) enrollment predictions, this study followed exploratory techniques seeking to differentiate yield rates among FTIC applicants based on one or more of the following source characteristics: Geographical Location, Single or Multiple Institution applications, Race/Ethnicity and Sex, High…

Recent findings on differential item functioning (DIF) for minority examinees (Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Blacks) taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) are presented, and the standardization approach to assessing DIF is described. Item characteristics related to DIF that generalize across ethnic groups are discussed. (SLD)

Progress toward the full participation of minorities in higher education during the past three decades is reviewed. Attention is directed to: the potential pool of qualified high school graduates who could enter postsecondary education; the participation and enrollment rates of minorities; factors related to retention and success in undergraduate…

Performance of limited-English speaking graduate school applicants on the Prueba de Admision para Estudios Graduados aptitude test is compared with Graduate Record Examination results, and the validity of the two tests as predictors of academic success for bilingual doctoral students in the New York University Puerto Rico program is examined. (MSE)

Project CALA was a special alternative program at the International High School in Queens (New York City). In its first year, the project provided instructional and support services, emphasizing career education, to 171 high school students of limited English proficiency (LEP) who had lived in the United States for less than 4 years. The project…