This book traces the development of competitive admission and financial aid policies at a selected group of 16 liberal arts colleges in Ohio and Massachusetts over the period 1955 to 1994. Exploring the way institutional decisions reflect and respond to broad demographic, economic, political, and social forces, the book considers the challenges…

Ohio is both very large and very urban. Like other midwestern states, it has been undergoing a number of major changes simultaneously, including: (1) a white population decline and an increase in minorities; (2) severe economic disruption and increased unemployment due to the downturn in manufacturing; (3) a lack of "high end" service…