A survey of applicants to a major state university investigated whether students who accept (n=461) and decline (n=488) admission offers have different ways of evaluating the admission process. Contrary to expectation, accepters did not rate all elements of the process higher than decliners. Blacks and whites also differed in their perceptions.…

Presents four steps to help families avoid the pitfalls of college selection by keeping their options open and focusing on the teen before beginning the search. The steps involve: debunking several myths about college selection; keeping teens' needs and interests in mind; preparing a shopping list before entering the college supermarket; and…

This pamphlet guides the college graduate in determining whether graduate school is an appropriate choice in career planning. Chapter titles include: "Why Graduate School?,""What is Graduate Education?,""Preparation for Graduate School,""Career Options with a Graduate Degree,""Making the Decision,""Financing a Graduate Education,""Choosing a…

The nature of student college choice sets was studied. The characteristics of institutions that are assumed to be central to students' application decisions were identified, and students were grouped according to similarity in the types of institutions to which they sent their test scores. Data on 627 students were analyzed by a mode, cluster…

New developments in college admission and student educational financing are discussed, including high demand for selective and expensive colleges, increased chances of admission at less prestigious but equally high quality schools, increased institutional student aid, and other changes in aid packaging and options. (MSE)

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)

A study of 2,500 Boston College applicants accepted for fall 1977 revealed information about the college's applicant pool and drawing power that can be of assistance in policymaking and student recruitment. It also revealed information about application overlap and competition with other institutions in the same market. (MSE)

This special section, to be an annual fall feature, examines the college admissions system as it is meant to work, and its current realities and their implications for students, parents, and colleges. Articles are "Admissions Trends: The New College Chaos,"; "Safety Net: The Late-Decision Program,"; "Rankings: What Makes a…

A survey investigated the feelings and beliefs of British university applicants at one point in the application process: after the application is acknowledged but before offers or examination results are available. Results suggest many see the process as straightforward, helpful, friendly, but a sizeable group consider it slow and complex. Many…

The District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), instituted in 1999, allows D.C. residents to attend public colleges and universities throughout the country at considerably lower in-state tuition rates. We use the sharp decline in the price of public colleges and universities faced by D.C. residents to estimate the effects of…

This document provides information on college planning and was developed for high school seniors attending Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois. Although some information is specific to Lyons Township seniors, most of the information is relevant to college-bound students in general. Six steps in applying to college are outlined: (1)…

The college admissions process has grown increasingly burdensome, expensive, and morally corrosive and ill serves the college-bound student. The idiosyncratic college application form is a product of the isolated planning of the college admissions profession. Each student has to complete a different application form for each college to which he or…

Are some student-parent college aspirations realistic or do most of us fall into the trap of attending "well-known" colleges with prestigious names, rather than choosing the college that will best serve the student's personal needs? (Author)

Investigates whether different types of interview or similar introduction to a department had any influence on an applicants' eventual acceptance or rejection of a conditional offer made by a university department. The objective of this research was to provide factual data on which to base decisions concerning admissions procedures. (Author/RK)