A year in which most college admissions officials had expected a drop in applicants, many colleges are reporting applications increases of up to 60 percent. On the surface, such figures are cause for celebration, but some feel they are both the product and the cause of current admissions uncertainty. (MSE)

Describes a research model that studied the influences of personal characteristics and external factors on applicants' final college choice and assessed the effectiveness of current recruiting resources. Outlines steps in conducting the questionnaire survey, including defining objectives, selecting sample, constructing questionnaire items, and…