Recognizing the current administration's focus on improving postsecondary access, this study examines resource allocation patterns and the predictive power of these resources in increasing the likelihood of 2- and 4-year college enrollment among low-income students. Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study, college choice decision-making…

Market segmentation is an important topic for higher education administrators and researchers. For segmenting the higher education market, we have to understand what factors are important for high school students in selecting a university. Extant literature has probed the importance of rational factors such as teaching staff, campus facilities,…

The study examined expressed reasons for choosing the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) by undergraduate students majoring in social work there. Responses of 205 social work majors to a questionnaire found that these students chose UNI primarily because of location, size, cost, the presence of a social work program, to get a good education, to be…

A survey of one university's graduate students examined influences on their initial consideration of the university and their ultimate decision to enroll. Variations in factors among the academic colleges of the institution were revealed. Further research on college choice within the graduate student population is recommended. (MSE)

Evaluated the impact of printed promotional materials on the recruitment of college freshmen using focus groups of students attending a large, southern metropolitan university. Students provided detailed suggestions on ways to improve the method of distribution, graphic design, and content of the materials. (Author/DB)

A survey of applicants accepted by a major research university found that among the most sought-after applicants, academic scholarships and other forms of forms of financial aid were more likely to have influenced college choice, putting the institution with minimal non-need-based financial aid at a competitive disadvantage. (MSE)

Two samples of doctoral program participants were surveyed for opinions about factors of relative importance in their selection of a counselor education program. Replies came from a national stratified sample of 55 programs comprising 249 recent doctoral degree graduates plus a second sample consisting of 211 doctoral program entrants. Data were…

Examines two studies (n=18, n=103) of high school students' approaches to college choice, using a "brand elimination" approach to consumer decision making and analyzing each stage of the student decision process. A salient finding was that different sources of information are important to the student at different stages of college selection. (MSE)

A study investigated the perceptions of human resource managers (n=243) concerning graduates from 9 area colleges, using 40 criteria to differentiate potential employees. The results support use of the methodology by colleges and universities to investigate factors contributing to institutional image within the business community. (MSE)

Previously performed analyses of the relationship between college choice and persistence in both public and private colleges and universities illustrate the direct and indirect effects of financial factors that influence college choice and subsequent persistence decisions, and the direct effects of the actual dollar amounts of costs and financial…

The responses from questionnaires (N=182) given to 201 individuals who were provided an opportunity to join the faculty of two research universities (one rural, one urban) were analyzed to determine the factors influencing their decisions to join or not join. Interviews with 60% of the respondents were conducted to gather further information.…

A study tested a model for assessing the impact of financial aid offers on 2,558 accepted students' college enrollment decisions. The analysis demonstrates that financial aid strategies have a substantial influence on enrollment and the systematic analysis of student enrollment decisions can help institutional administrators refine their financing…

This report examines how students, especially those with high abilities, choose a college based on information from four areas: (1) published research comparing various schools' subjects as well as some unpublished comparative data from various sources; (2) young adult fiction that deals with issues related to college choice; (3) media accounts of…

A survey and interviews with 1,600 students at 1 university investigated how college choice criteria differed among white, black, and Hispanic students; how choice criteria differed between all students and business majors; and how choice criteria differed between undergraduate and graduate business students. Results revealed different rankings of…

A description of the Graduate Management Admission Council's New Matriculants Survey focusing on school selection by Masters of Business Administration students is presented. Four sections are as follows: (1) reasons for applying and enrolling (including student differences in reasons for applying); (2) who applies to more than one school (e.g.,…