The issue of retention is a persistent problem in higher education. For the past 100 years, the institutional graduation rate has stubbornly held at the 50 percent mark: half of all students entering higher education fail to realize their dreams and aspirations based on earning a certificate or degree. For students of color in particular, the…

A comparison of Monroe County projections of high school graduates and the March 1986 Rochester Labor Area Summary points to some excellent opportunities for marketing Monroe Community College (MCC). Projections of high school graduation rates show a 25% decrease in the number of graduates between 1989 and 1991, while the demand for entry-level…

As tuition charges increase and more students are eligible for financial aid, colleges must develop a concrete strategy to manage financial aid resources. Mechanisms to help financial aid officers effectively utilize aid resources in enrolling students are discussed. Mathematical formulas and calculations are included. (Author/JMD)

In early 1990, Prince George's Community College (PGCC), in response to declining enrollments, developed an affordable and locally effective geo-demographic cluster system for meeting the college's research and marketing needs. The system, dubbed "PG-TRAK," is based on a model developed 15 years ago as a corporate marketing tool, and involves…

An annual National Association of College and University Business Officers study finds that institutional student aid is being used as a tool to help shape desired class demographics. An analysis of trends in tuition, net tuition, enrollment rates, net freshman revenue, and freshman student-aid rates is summarized here, and questions raised by the…

The study reported in this document was conducted to facilitate strategic recruiting and marketing plans aimed at enhancing enrollments of academically superior students at the University of Wisconsin-Washington County (UWWC). Data on college choice criteria, perceptions, evaluations, information sources, "influentials," and choice outcomes…

Following two decades of growth, both enrollment and funding at the Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) have declined sharply over the last 5 years. In April 1989, the TSTI initiated a strategic planning process incorporating a strategy based on meeting a clearly recognized and understood public need that is within the role, scope, and mission…

This paper discusses ways that institutions can change the higher education system and environment to accommodate more minority students. The first section, "Institutional Climate and Minority Achievement," presents an overview of the problems facing colleges and universities with respect to recruiting and retaining minority students. In the…

Results of a national survey, "Attracting and Retaining Adult Learners" (ARAL), by the American College Testing Program are summarized. Attention is focused on programs and services that have been successful with adult learners. ARAL respondents were from three types of institutions: (1) those for whom adult learners represent a primary thrust of…