Merit aid, a discount to college costs contingent upon academic performance, is nothing new. Colleges and private organizations have long rewarded high-achieving, college-bound high school students with scholarships. While merit aid has a long history in the private sector, it has not played a major role in the public sector. At the state level,…

Members of the Pacific Coast College Health Association were asked about their policies for evaluating and restricting the attendance of severely disturbed students who will not cooperate with mental health intervention measures. Policies show little conformity; the need for clearer procedures is stressed. (Authors/PP)

Describes a study of students at Northern Illinois University (NIU) conducted to determine the characteristics, attendance patterns, grade point averages, and degree attainment of students who initiated their postsecondary education at a four-year college, transferred to a community college, and then transferred to NIU. (AYC)

Indicates that community colleges in Arkansas serve a separate clientele and that their enrollment relates very little to enrollments at traditional institutions. Graphically illustrates college-going rates in the state and in two counties. (AYC)

Surveyed adult college students regarding their motivation for attending college and the relative importance of college choice criteria. Getting better jobs, gaining general knowledge, and enhancement of self-esteem were most frequently mentioned. Availability of desired programs, days/times of needed classes, locations of courses, cost, and…

Inductive analysis of in-depth, open-ended interviews of persisting and nonpersisting Mexican American university students yielded two conceptual schemes, corresponding to pre- and post-matriculation attitudinal and behavioral patterns, for interpreting their perceptions of college-going experiences. (Author/MLW)

A model of college student choice for male and female ninth graders using LISREL is examined. Variables examined included parents' expectation regarding higher education for their children, parents' savings for college, students' discussion of college with their parents, and students' aspiration for postsecondary education. (Author/MLW)

Describes Computer Access Centers (CACs), created by the Colorado Community College and Occupational Education System to help students with disabilities learn job skills and improve their lives. Indicates that, despite fears about program costs, CACs are in place at 11 sites and have expanded access for people with disabilities. (MAB)

Interviews with 49 adults with learning disabilities who had attended college found that most respondents adjusted well to demands of college, approximately 90% of respondents graduated from college in 5.5 years, and students typically attended more than 1 college and pursued a variety of majors. Keys and barriers to success are examined, and…

Algebridge, the first phase of a University of Arizona project (PRIME) to promote higher education among minority middle school students, makes algebra more accessible by smoothing students' transition to abstract thinking and pinpointing potentially frustrating concepts. The program helps at-risk youngsters dispel their fear of math and clear the…

Reports on a study of 811 African American high school students to determine what proportion identified music teachers as role models. Finds that 36% of the subjects identified a music teacher as a role model. Suggests that the findings highlight the need to recruit more minority teachers into music education. (CFR)

Minnesota is a model for the involvement of state government in American Indian education. Successful activities include a program to retain and adequately prepare Indian students for postsecondary education and a need-based scholarship program. Persistent challenges include improvement of financial aid, academic and student support services, and…

A study identified factors affecting college attendance by minority students in two groups: all high school seniors in 1982 and the subgroup that applied to college. Consistent with prior research, three factors of potential influence were identified: improved academic preparation; higher educational aspirations; and financial aid. (Author/MSE)

This study examined whether private school attendance provides a net benefit with regard to educational achievement and attainment. Results of using additive models which control for family, individual and school variables found that most, but not all, outcome differences attributable to between-sector differences in student attributes.…

Charts the forward and backward movements of African Americans in education since the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, noting both obstacles and success factors that have shaped the black educational experience at elementary, secondary, and higher levels. Influences on black students' achievement and college attendance are described.…