The meritocratic ideal prescribes that universities should admit students based on academic ability and individual effort. Yet as competition for scarce slots has increased, markets for services to improve the odds of admission have expanded. We use the case of a popular online forum for elite Taiwanese students seeking graduate study in the…

More than 25% of new college students begin their higher education careers outside of the traditional fall start date (National Student Clearinghouse, 2012). This study examines the social, personal, and academic experiences of spring admits at a large, private research institution in the western United States. In this study, a spring admit is…

This report compares high school indicators of college readiness for the Baltimore City Schools Class of 2011 with actual readiness as determined by Maryland colleges. Each Maryland college determines its own criteria for entering credit bearing courses or taking developmental courses. As a result, findings are reported separately by college…

Based on data provided by the City University of New York (CUNY) University Application Processing Center, this report compares applicants to CUNY for admission in fall 1972 who were accepted and then enrolled with those who were accepted but did not enroll. Of the applicants who were accepted as fulltime, day-session freshmen matriculants, more…

The numbers of Black and minority students and faculty at universities are declining for a number of reasons: Federal student aid and compensatory programs are being cut back, admissions standards are stiffening and many inner-city students are ill-prepared to compete; and universities are making less of an effort to recruit Black students outside…

This book offers detailed information on college admissions designed to demystify the process for student applicants. Part I opens by arguing that the college admissions process is a mystery to many applicants because in large part admissions officers would prefer to have it that way in order to retain greater control. Other chapters in this…

Examines effects of the Supreme Court decision, "Regents of the University of California V. Bakke" on Black and Hispanic enrollment in medical and law schools. Uses time-series analysis on aggregate enrollment trends between 1968 and 1987. Finds decision had little impact but notes decline in these applications beginning in 1984. (NL)