Hundreds of colleges have changed their names to signal higher quality. We estimate how this affects college choice and the labor market performance of college graduates. Administrative data show that name-changing colleges enroll higher-aptitude students, with larger effects for attractive-but-misleading name changes and among students with less…

The meritocratic ideal prescribes that universities should admit students based on academic ability and individual effort. Yet as competition for scarce slots has increased, markets for services to improve the odds of admission have expanded. We use the case of a popular online forum for elite Taiwanese students seeking graduate study in the…

"Selling yourself" through personal statements and interviews is now a standard practice for university applicants. This article draws on a multi-case-study research project to report on the self-marketing orientations of students within three 16-19 institutions in England. These orientations (active/passive; internal/external;…

This paper investigates the intersection of system articulation, transfer, and the choices that secondary school students make when they apply to college and university. The investigation is based on the results of a study that was undertaken to determine factors that influence choices that secondary school students make between enrolling in…

Used surveys, focus groups, and Web-based exercises to assess college-bound students' opinions about college Web sites. Compiled student preferences on elements of Web pages that students find engaging, that inhibit browsing, and that increase the likelihood of prospects submitting applications. (EV)

The factors influencing student choice of an admission to three institutions are examined. A survey of entering full-time first degree students set out to compare: factors influencing decisions to enter higher education, sources of information which influenced decisions, pattern of applications, and factors influencing final choice. (Author/MLW)