Surveyed college admissions offices (N=236) to determine the current status and perceived usefulness of letters of recommendation. Results show 87% of respondents required or considered letters of recommendation. They were considered useful in revealing personal qualities, particularly of handicapped and minority applicants, which could offset…

A study done at a university and a polytechnic in Sheffield, England suggests that the criteria governing the policies pursued in many departments tend to create barriers impeding the admission of mature age candidates. Some suggestions for a reformed admissions policy for mature applicants to higher education are presented. (Author/MLW)

Reviews policies of college officials in controlling admission of minority students (Jews, Catholics, immigrants) to selected American colleges and universities from 1900-1970. Suggests that institutions of higher education may have to justify their admission policies by submitting them to periodic public or semipublic review. (DB)

Results are reported from a study to determine whether students (N=74) who were admitted to a teacher education program without meeting one or more admissions requirements differed in teaching performance and program completion from students (N=74) admitted on a regular basis. (IAH)

Proposes that pharmacy schools incorporate formal assessments of self-reported empathy in the admissions process to assess personal qualities necessary for patient counseling and other aspects of pharmaceutical care. Comparison of two approaches to measuring self-reported empathy (forced-choice format, direct self-ratings) found the first more…

Acute resource limitations and demands for better prepared teachers have resulted in the imposition of enrollment caps on many U.S. teacher preparation programs. The subjects of this study included students who were selected to enter the elementary education program and who eventually enrolled in student teaching (N=93). Spearman correlations were…

Information is presented to help applicants to Canadian medical colleges realistically assess their chances for gaining admission. The guide is also intended for career counselors in high schools and higher education. One section provides statistics on the following characteristics that are associated with being selected: sex, age, Medical College…

THE USE OF STANDARD ADMISSIONS TESTS HAS OFTEN BEEN CALLED DISCRIMINATORY TOWARDS DISADVANTAGED YOUTHS. TO EXAMINE THE VALIDITY OF THESE COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS, THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (ACE) TEST SCORES OF 66 HONOR GRADUATES AT NORTH CAROLINA COLLEGE BETWEEN 1954 AND 1959 WERE EXAMINED. IT WAS FOUND THAT 58 OF THEM WOULD NOT HAVE…

A structured interview procedure was used during the spring of 1975 as a tool in selecting nursing and dental hygiene students at Johnson County Community College. Potential students had two 20-minute interviews: one by a staff member of the program to which application was made, and one by another staff member. Interviewers rated the applicants…

An approach to open admissions has been tested for the past five years at the City University of New York (CUNY). The open admissions policy was adopted in July 1969 by the Board of Higher Education, acting under intense political pressure after a spring of unrest and confrontation. After five years at CUNY, the ideal and practice of open…

A combination of events have moved various colleges and universities to grant admissions to minority group students. With this change, problems have developed: Mainly that of admissions criteria as related to academic achievement. The trend has become, therefore, toward either random selection or an open door policy. No matter what the process of…

The College Research Center (CRC), a cooperative educational-research agency, investigated the progress of black students enrolled in liberal arts colleges (traditionally for women only). The study focused on (1) selected characteristics of Negro freshmen entering Member CRC Colleges, and (2) the correlational validity of standard admissions…

Chico State College views and is approaching the problem of improving equal access to higher education as if it were a three-legged stool, each leg being required to be fully functional if the stool is to be serviceable. The first leg necessary is a strong Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) that recruits students, the majority of whom do not…

The issues involved in the admissions squeeze and the criteria (cognitive and noncognitive measures) that have been used by medical schools to select students are discussed. Future trends designed to improve the selection process are presented. (Author)

Suggests that the fairness and constitutionality of any admissions program is justified if it serves a plausible policy that respects the right of all members of the community to be treated as equals, but not otherwise. (Author/AM)