Describes characteristics and expectations of attendees (N=500) at a college fair. Results indicated most participants planned to attend college. Their most important reason for attending the fair was to see which colleges offered programs they were considering. The fair was described as having a significant effect on college preference. (JAC)

Considers how early college planning should begin and points out several dangers and fallacies of planning excesses. Discusses motivation for planning, fixing on certain schools, and the adolescent's need to measure up. Asks who is setting the goals and orchestrating the process--the child or the significant adults in his/her life. (NB)

Describes potentially confusing and overlapping opportunities for students who apply early decision or early action when applying to colleges. Considers difficulties that students and institutions can encounter when admission plans are unclear. Urges colleges to standardize the admissions process in order to better serve students. (NB)

Service academies have found that parental influence is a significant factor in the application and selection processes. Project Outreach of the Coast Guard Academy, a parent-to-parent contact using volunteers supervised by the Admissions Office, represents a way of showing concern regarding each student's uniqueness and of constructively…

Argues trend toward benign and homogeneous college promotional materials/presentations makes college selection process more difficult. Feels tactic of deemphasizing importance of college board scores to increase applicant pool and thereby enhance "college profile" is unethical and deprives college applicant of ability to make informed choices. (CM)

Suggests that level of teaching excellence at an institution affects admission. Urges admission personnel to advocate quality in teaching. Discusses the relationship between teaching and admission, and offers a redefinition of the role of admission. (KS)

Describes a procedure to empower college applicants to choose colleges realistically and avoid rejection. Suggests use of a scattergram model of admissions reality, relating Scholastic Aptitude Test Scores and Grade Point Averages to courses taken or omitted, extracurricular achievements, and other factors. (KS)

Presents a marketing strategy to assist admissions personnel in recruiting academically strong students to colleges and universities. Discusses the importance of institutional prestige and faculty achievement as well as the need to involve faculty in student recruitment. (JAC)

States that admissions counselors' assessment of prospective students' high schools is key element in admissions application review process. Urges admissions counselors to evaluate specific high schools based on: accreditation status, school profile, college performance of high school alumni, and evaluation of student performance over time. (CM)

Examines partnership between students, parents, and counselors during transition from high school to college and offers unique interactive method for helping students with their choices about college. (NB)

Discusses student reactions to college recruitment/admissions practices. Students indicated campus atmosphere, academic program and campus visits influenced the choice of a college. They want good information on which to make a decision and want to be treated as individuals. (JAC)

Argues that the competitive admissions system forces students to constrain their natural impulse toward commitment. Describes the use of scattergrams to provide students with more accurate information about selectivity. (JAC)

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…

Describes a map designed to help students chart a college application strategy. The map locates each student on a grid by academic coordinates based on G.P.A. and test score index. Colleges are located on the same grid by identifying students admitted and circling dots representing academic locations. (RC)

Feels admission process should reflect more of what colleges value and be purposefully structured for the prospective student as learning experience. (CM)