The purpose of this dissertation study was twofold. First, this research study examined the role of noncognitive factors on degree completion, academic achievement, and persistence. Second, this research study examined the utility of the Personal Potential Index (PPI) as an avenue to reliably assess noncognitive factors of graduate students that…

Despite decades of research and policy efforts, socioeconomic disparities in educational outcomes persist in the United States. In this dissertation, I examine these disparities, focusing on access to higher education during the later years and on academic achievement during elementary school. I explore the importance of family, neighborhood, and…

The purpose of this research is to reveal and compare the language proficiency profiles of Purdue's Chinese and Indian graduate applicants in various disciplines to take a step towards the development of Language Proficiency Literacy (LPL) of graduate admissions decision makers. The study argues that before being able to offer LPL development…

Admission to colleges and universities has sparked much interest over time. There are articles, books, and even movies designed to shed light on the process of being admitted to institutions. One component of the application process that has drawn a lot of attention is the use of standardized test scores. There are both advocates and critics of…

The world of healthcare is always changing, but the foundation of quality healthcare remains constant, qualified registered nurses. More students enter community colleges than four-year universities in an attempt to become registered nurses. As the need for registered nurses grows, the number of open slots within community college nursing programs…

The official stance of the Association America of Medical Colleges (AAMC) regarding the undergraduate major of applicants for admission to medical school is that there are no required or preferred majors. While the AAMC is the body that governs admission to allopathic medical schools in the United States, this statement does not provide clarity to…

Health care experiences, access to care, and health outcomes improve for minority patients when medical providers share concordant race and/or ethnicity. However, current physician assistant (PA) demographics are not comparable to their patient populations. As an example, African Americans represented 4.5% of PA providers in 2019, while the U.S.…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify common traits of freshmen who chose to apply to the University of Mississippi each month, from July of the pre-matriculating year to September of the matriculating year. In examining the application date, the researcher examined the relationship between the freshman student's application…

Community colleges offer online admissions applications as a way for students to apply conveniently for admission, yet the experience associated with the use of these applications has not been fully explored. Hence, the purpose of this parametric quantitative study was to examine the usability of community college online admissions applications by…

In recent years, university-based Intensive English Programs (IEPs) have expanded to serve the growing population of international students who wish to earn their degrees at U.S. universities. Many of these IEPs have shifted their focus to assist these academically bound international students by functioning as a bridge to enrollment in American…

Relatively few students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are enrolled in the most selective American colleges and universities. To improve enrollment, scholars have suggested that college admission offices provide these low SES students an admissions advantage, also known as class-based affirmative action. This study examined to what degree…

A curriculum vitae (CV) is probably the most important first piece of information for an employer to evaluate for job applications (Cole et al. 2007). The CV may lead to an interview for the position advertised. Therefore, writing a good CV is extremely essential and it is a valuable life skill to have. However, there have been debates as to the…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether the use of non-cognitive assessment in combination with traditional criteria predicted potential academic success as measured by first-semester GPAs of provisionally admitted students. Survey data were collected with a non-cognitive questionnaire (NCQ) from provisionally admitted…

The purpose for conducting this study was to investigate and describe the relationship between applicant criteria for a dental hygiene program and subsequent outcomes on credentialing exams: the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam and the Southern Regional Testing Agency clinical exam. Because admission criteria play a crucial role in applicant…

Out-of-School Time programs and their impact on standardized college entrance exam scores for black or African-American children of single parents who have applied for a competitive college scholarship program is the study focus. Study importance is supported by the large percentage of black children raised by single parents, the large percentage…