There is one thing on every shopping list that any student will be sure to choose accurately: the perfect pair of jeans. Indeed, this ubiquitous wardrobe staple is an important purchase requiring a variety of considerations, many of which correspond to another even more significant decision most students will make in the coming weeks, months or…

Each year thousands of Native students enroll at tribal colleges. Many say the close proximity to home is a draw for them. Others check out the facilities, and some might look over the staff roster and ask how many Native instructors work at the college. Several factors go into their decisions to enroll in a particular tribal college. For their…

The author conducted focus groups with seven Black male college-aged students who either attend or attended predominantly White institutions (PWI) in the South. The author believes that it is important to pay close attention to the attitudes of African Americans enrolled in PWIs and HBCUs. Both students and educators should recognize the…

In this article, the author states that no matter how experienced and exposed to life college freshmen may appear, no matter how sophisticated they may seem, they are vulnerable and unsure of themselves a lot of the time. The child in them grapples with the emerging adult; they are eager to enter adulthood but understandably fearful of what they…

This article addresses the problem of (1) maintaining the size and quality of the overall graduate school, and (2) maintaining a "critical mass" of students enrolled in programs where there is an indication of a future demand, but where there has been a decline. University marketing techniques have not generally focused on graduate student…

In their role as counselors and advisers, college admissions officers can enhance student retention by helping prospective students develop reasonable expectations about their undergraduate education and by helping them choose the institution that is best for them. (MSE)

The author of "Choosing a College" (Harper & Row, 1989) discusses the difference between teachers and researchers, matching schools with students, and the failure of reforms to improve the quality of teaching in institutions of higher learning. Attributes the recent renewal of overt campus racism to misguided preferential quota programs. (FMW)

The concept of student-institution fit includes much more than institutional searches for students with predetermined characteristics based on the characteristics of graduates. It requires a broad interactionist perspective, links with an institution-wide student retention plan, realistic information dissemination, and response to existing…

Describes three case vignettes of college freshmen who are unhappy with their choice of schools early in their freshman years. Considers problems in dormitory living, academic pressures, and interpersonal problems. Discusses change in the campus environment in recent decades and the need for adult involvement in campus life. (NB)

This paper measures the effects of living near a ''high quality'' college on the college attended. If local colleges provide information about postsecondary education or role models for youth, they may generate ''spillover'' effects that increase the quality of the college attended, even for individuals who do not attend college locally. Using…

Like summer football rankings, the college rankings tell something about the potential impact that a college or university may have on a student, based on the resources of campuses on the one hand and their reputations on the other. When a student and that student's parents are looking for "the right campus," resources should be important. What…

Changes occuring in the student body of small private liberal arts colleges between 1975 and 1983 include shifts in college choice factors, the perceived importance of the school in getting a job after graduation, and cost considerations. Colleges must carefully develop new markets before crises occur. (MSE)

Media ranking of colleges is often superficial and only further confuses families and prospective students. In addition, some colleges are excluding students to present a "selective" profile. Rationality in admissions can return, when parents and students become knowledgeable about the process, counselors interpret changes, and colleges give…

Proven market/institutional research techniques and technological developments in computer systems that can be used by college admissions offices to enhance recruitment efforts are discussed in 13 articles. Titles and authors of the articles are as follows: "Student Reactions to College Recruiting Techniques" (Arthur D. Lopatin);…

Questions about finding information about colleges, deciding which school to attend, and suggested changes in the application and admissions process are answered by six high school students randomly called throughout the nation. (MLW)