The contribution of high school guidance counselors during the information and inquiry stages of students' selection of a college was assessed. A statewide population survey of all high school counselors in New York yielded 660 usable responses (20 percent). Attention is focused on quality estimations of four criteria for 15 institutions. Quality…

Five articles on historical developments in higher education are presented. In "Oxford Dons and Professional Men in Victorian England," Arthur Engel discusses how 19th century Oxford dons sought to make university teaching into a profession, as well as the trend toward specialization in other developing professions. In "'Western' Colleges,…

The relationship between reputational ratings of graduate-level chemistry, history, and psychology departments and their faculties' scholarly productivity was examined using data from a national sample of departments in each field. Faculty reported the number of their professional articles in journals, chapters in books, scholarly book reviews,…

A questionnaire administered to 1979 incoming freshmen at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was used to assess the effects of educational maturity on college choice. Educational maturity is defined by the student's certainty about college major and career choice. Results show that strength of the major department is the most frequent…

Studies concerning attributes of quality in higher education as defined in academic studies are reviewed. Separate reviews are presented for studies of quality at the graduate level, in professional programs, and at the undergraduate level. Academe's continuing attempts to quantify "quality" so as to measure it empirically rather than subjectively…

U.S. research-doctorate programs in the humanities were assessed by a committee of the Conference Board of Associated Research Councils. Attention was focused on 522 programs in nine disciplines in the humanities that award research doctorates. The effectiveness of these programs in preparing students for research careers was assessed. Indices…

The use of marketing concepts to maintain and enhance the image of a university is considered. Over all, what is needed is a system for image assessment to provide a basis for image development. Without this system and its information outputs, misconceptions can enter the policy-making process at critical junctures, and the life of the institution…

How to identify and measure educational quality pervades American education. The Higher Education Research Institute and the Council on Learning launched a study to identify broad quality indicators, particularly at the undergraduate level. Peer groups and indices of selectivity are among the facets used to measure quality of education. (MLW)

U.S. research-doctorate programs in the social and behavioral sciences were assessed by a committee of the Conference Board of Associated Research Councils. Attention was focused on 639 research-doctorate programs in seven disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences: anthropology, economics, geography, history, political sciences,…

A study investigated the relative importance of certain college attributes to the freshmen of Ashland University, a small, private univeristy in Ohio. Five institutional characteristics were examined: availability and variety of financial aid, dorm life (living conditions and food quality), quality of education (quality of teaching, career…

High school guidance counselors' perceptions of the quality of The State University of New York College at Brockport were compared for 1982 and 1985. Quality assessments were also made for two university centers, nine university colleges, two agricultural and technical colleges, and two private colleges. The 1985 sample consisted of 839…

International comparisons of American education have become so popular and widespread in the reform debates of the last several decades that many of the current centerpieces of the American reform movement were shaped through evidence and speculation on what other more educationally successful nations were doing that the U.S. was not. The current…

Trade globalisation is beginning to affect universities worldwide. In response to this outside pressure, institutions have become more geared to gaining international repute through research than to maintaining their reputation at home for the quality of their teaching. As a result of this focus on research, French universities, for example, are…

A 1977 review is presented of Florida's State University System, which was conducted by the Commission on the Future of Florida's Public Universities--a blue ribbon commission. The current status of the system and some indications of the importance of high quality universities to Florida's future are considered, and recommendations for improving…

Factors that influence the quality of higher education at Mississippi State University are considered. Quality in higher education is influenced by the background and competence of the faculty and staff, the kinds of students enrolled in programs, resources available, past history, and the current reputation of the university. Mississippi's system…