With the pool of high school graduates decreasing, national and global competition increasing, and the need to invest in new technologies and approaches growing, many universities and small colleges alike are struggling--not just to thrive, but to survive. In this challenging environment, mergers and consolidations are often viewed as options of…

A study investigated the use of frequency of specific behaviors as an indicator of college student response to dissatisfaction. A population of 423 students from 5 universities helped categorize behaviors as characteristic of 4 constructs: exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect. Twenty acts emerged as viable indicators of the constructs. (MSE)

A model using four categories of college applicants (enrollment deposit paid, deposit not yet paid, applicants not yet admitted, and those who have not yet applied) that allows forecasting of freshman enrollment from any point in the admission process and simulates the effects of trends and strategies on enrollment is outlined. (MSE)

An unsuccessful attempt to develop a standard battery of aptitude measures to distinguish practicing dentists is reinterpreted. A sample of 116 dentists showed few differences from the norm group on 22 potential predictors, with some differences counterintuitive. It is concluded that broad conceptualization of characteristics required to complete…

Describes how the State University of New York, using large databases and regression techniques, has developed several coordinated, comprehensive efforts to evaluate and project current and future enrollments. One requires decomposition of the student population into mutually exclusive subgroups. The other, superior, approach uses logistic…

A survey of 300 institutions of higher education found 9 factors associated with alumni giving participation rates. These included library volumes per student; average Scholastic Aptitude Test scores of entering first-year college students; percentage of faculty with doctorates; educational and general budget expenditures per student; endowment…

The relationship of student major choice and other individual characteristics as reported in the American College Testing Program's (ACT) pre-college Assessment Program to persistence in the college major is examined for Michigan State University students. Implications for program planning are discussed. (MSE)

A survey of graduating university students (n=165) investigated factors influencing their satisfaction with their majors. Career-related learning, communication skills, and parental influence in choice of major were the best predictors of satisfaction with major. Perceived quality of instruction and career opportunities/services were also highly…

A study of 521 teacher education students taking the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) revealed that students with American College Testing Program (ACT) composite scores of 21 or higher had a high probability of passing all 3 parts of the PPST at the first attempt at a cutoff score of 169. A state testing exemption for such students resulted.…

The theoretical model of medical student performance begins with 38 measures, reduced to 18 without loss of information. These measures are shown to reflect five underlying theoretical interrelated variables: medical knowledge; clinical performance; science aptitude; college achievement; and attitudes and values. Results should be useful in…

This study examined the relationship between scholarly publication by faculty teaching in library and information science programs and 18 selected variables. Six variables were found to be predictors of faculty productivity: highest degree earned, size of faculty, years elapsed from bachelors's to highest degree, program type, prestige of program,…

This study was undertaken to determine whether a biology preparatory course given at an urban community college was helping students to develop the proper skills and background necessary to successfully complete follow-up courses in biology. Data indicated a mathematics score was the main discriminator between pass/fail groups of the preparatory…

A survey of 1956-91 business school alumni (n=2,000) found marginal probability of giving significantly related to time since graduation, major, willingness to recommend the institution to others, household attributes, family ties to the university, number of other donors known, and availability of employee matching-gift programs. The model…

A study used a multivariate approach to assessing college departmental excellence. Factor analysis identified three potentially useful factor clusters ("faculty research,""input," and "student") and seven indicators based on those clusters. Indicators combining faculty research and input and combining all three clusters were found to be the best…

Using discriminant analysis, a study examined (1) the extent to which the new Student Adjustment to College Questionnaire (SACQ) accurately predicts student departure for a private, comprehensive university (n=1,978 students); (2) SACQ items distinguishing nonpersisters; (3) use with an incoming class; and (4) evidence linking the SACQ with…