Applying to college used to be a fairly straightforward undertaking: Students applied to a few colleges that met their academic needs, and the institutions responded by admitting the most-worthy candidates. But that seemingly benign process is a distant memory. In its place is a swirling cauldron of angst and anxiety, especially for the families…

The goals of a visitation program at a college or university should be to place prospects and their parents in contact with a variety of faculty and students. Faculty members, talking about their programs, and undergraduates, sharing their own experiences, are the institution's best recruiters. (MLW)

A survey of 250 colleges and universities gathered information on the use of market research concerning admitted applicants. Results indicated over half the institutions use market research and offer information about specific methodologies, budgetary support, and use of results. A content analysis of questionnaires used is also presented.…

College campus "tours" offered online have evolved to include 360-degree views, live video, animation, talking tour guides, interactive maps with photographic links, and detailed information about buildings, departments, and programs. Proponents feel they should enhance, not replace, real tours. The synergy between the virtual tour and…

A study investigated the importance to 578 applicants of various benefits offered by a moderately selective private university. Applicants rated the institution on 43 academic, social, financial, religious, and curricular attributes. The objective was to test the efficacy of one approach to college market segmentation. Results support the utility…

Higher education administrators often wonder if the information they receive from the low response rates to surveys of non-matriculating applicants accurately reflects the entire population of these non-matriculants. These questions are exacerbated by evidence that response bias does exist. This paper describes how St. Mary's College in Notre…

A survey investigated the importance of 22 institutional attributes to 1,574 potential students of a university business school. Effects of student variables (public vs. private high schools, class rank, suburban vs. rural high schools, gender) were also considered. Factor analysis is found useful for research on college choice. (MSE)

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…

Methods for combating declining applicant pools at women's colleges are discussed. Research suggests that effective student recruitment can be facilitated by the use of single-gender market niche as a means for differentiation and parent influence for promotion. Review of strategies currently used indicate these marketing methods are underused and…

A survey of 19 diverse two- and four-year colleges in Ohio investigated the availability and use of online applications for college admission, parent and student awareness of and planning for financial aid, the perceived value and cost-effectiveness of online aid applications, and public-policy implications relating to the use of technology for…

Alabama's primary competitor in recruiting is in-state rival Auburn University which lures away roughly one in eight of UA's admitted students. Two factors stand above all others in attracting students to UA--academic reputation and social activities reputation. Factors following distantly are a visit to the UA campus, financial assistance and the…

The first of two articles on the psychological dimensions of the school-to-college transition looks at the rising anxiety of high school seniors applying to and selecting colleges, at the importance of rituals in the transition process, the stress of decision-making about the future, and the changes occurring during the senior year in high school.…

This study compared 4,594 student responses from three different surveys of incoming students at the University of South Florida (USF) with data from Florida's State University System (SUS) admissions files to determine what proportion of error occurs in the survey responses. Specifically, the study investigated the amount of measurement error in…

Statistical analysis was conducted of offerings by universities in England and Wales to students admitted conditional to achievement of specific grades on A-level examinations. Disciplines included in analysis were electrical engineering, English, mathematics, sociology. Admissions conditional on future achievement were examined for differences…