A three-stage model of college choice is outlined, and research related to the model is reviewed. The first phase is a developmental one in which students determine whether they would like to attend college. For students entering postsecondary studies, the second stage involves gathering information about educational options. The third state is…

A model that accounts for high school students' college selection was tested. The ideal point preference model proposes that students prefer the college that most approximates their conception of the ideal college. Also assessed was the extent to which students' academic orientations (vocational, academic, collegiate, or nonconformist) affect…

The marketing tools and techniques of the main campus of Ohio University, Athens, were used to carry out an admission marketing research project to aid its five two-year regional campuses. A survey instrument was sent to 897 admitted applicants for fall 1988 in mid-August, with a followup in early September. Response rate was 41%. The survey…

Presented are several of the techniques that have been used as part of a comprehensive market research program at Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota). The basic focus is on regional segments in Carleton's applicant pool. Carleton's position in the market is examined in relation to selected types of schools with which it competes for…

A comparison of telephone and mail surveys of accepted applicants who chose not to attend Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University was undertaken. The telephone method was used to interview the undergraduate applicants' parents, while the mail survey was sent to graduate school applicants. The telephone survey concerned 161 in-state…

The effect that winning a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 national championship in football or men's basketball may have upon the quantity and quality of undergraduate admissions applications received by institutions was examined. Between 1979 and 1992, 11 institutions won the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament with two…

Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers that relate to admissions, evaluation of credentials, financial aid, marketing and recruitment, and articulation agreements are summarized. The names and addresses of conference participants are included. (SF)

This paper examines the U.S. college admissions market in the late 1980s and 1990s and how enrollments have shifted, competition has increased, and nonschool-based services have mushroomed. Introduced is the concept of admissions management: a constellation of behaviors which include, among others, the buying of services to help mostly…

A time sequence of recruitment activities was developed using high school data to represent the total, potential, and actual student markets for Pennsylvania State University. High schools with similar characteristics were grouped according to potential recruitment yields. Under the assumption that college decision-making behavior approximated the…

The inquiry pool represented by prospective college applicants who seek information from the institution and a marketing response that has been implemented at Boston College are considered. It is suggested that researchers may trace specific individuals from the inquiry stage through application to the final college choice. To benefit from an…

Ways in which institutions of higher education can provide more meaningful information to students, especially prospective students, were studied. The specific study objective was to investigate the meaningfulness/understandability and comparability of written formats and to explore possible differences associated with age, ethnicity,…

This study investigated the institutional characteristics considered by 774 Australian first-year students attending the University of South Australia in their choice of this university. A self-administered survey instrument asked respondents to rate their attitudes on a Likert scale regarding their reasons for selecting this university. Results…

The potential value of marketing principles to help solve educational problems in higher education is addressed. Four variables that are within the decision power of those in higher education and those in the commercial world are the product, distribution, promotion, and price. The marketing concept demands that policies be built on a base of…

An in-house market analysis was used to determine which resources in a small, private, liberal arts college influence prospective students to matriculate there. The purpose was to evaluate and improve the use of recruitment resources. The responses of inquirers, applicants (matriculating and nonmatriculating) and matriculators were compared on…

The study examines patterns in students' choices of in-state and out-of-state colleges, with regard to certain academic and economic variables such as class standing, parental income, financial support, and costs. It then examines the impact that financial aid would have on their choices. A survey was undertaken of 26,903 Pennsylvania public and…