Charter schools have witnessed significant growth in the United States, accompanied by increased diversity among student populations. However, Southern Nevada charter schools diverge from national trends, enrolling a less racially and socioeconomically diverse student population. This study examined factors that shape charter school leaders'…

This quantitative study examines the outcomes of the Pre-Matriculation program at the University of Kansas Medical Center's School of Medicine, a pipeline initiative designed to equip students from historically underrepresented groups in medicine (HURM) with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in medical school. A student is considered…

Adult learners represent a growing population of students seeking postsecondary education. This qualitative investigation sought to understand the lived experience of the adult learner during matriculation. Through the use of semi-structured questions, 15 newly enrolled adult learners participated in a private, one-on-one interview to describe…

Students transfer from one institution of higher education to another for many different reasons, and students' decision-making processes and enrollment patterns can be complex. This, coupled with a declining postsecondary enrollment nationally and the number of high school graduates leveling off, has forced the transfer admission offices to think…

In Chapter 1, we study the allocation of homogeneous positions under affirmative action policies where some positions are reserved for underrepresented groups on a "minimum guarantee" basis. Each individual has a merit-based score and may be eligible for multiple reserves. When an individual counts towards each of the reserves that she…

In the face of a critical dietitian shortage, a decline in students, and a selective student placement process, this mixed-methods study examined the admissions practices of U.S.-based Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) dietetic internship program directors. It revealed a complex scenario where student interest meets stringent qualifications,…

Using a mixed-methods approach, this research examines admissions practices and recruitment strategies within eight graduate-level, allied health sciences programs. The results highlight the characteristics of submitted, accepted, and matriculated students, and identifies, by program, if the recruitment strategies (e.g., marketing campaign…

Colleges and Universities continuously attempt to increase enrollment each year; while prospective students struggle to gauge whether a degree offers a clear and articulable return on investment. The purpose of this action research study is to investigate influencing enrollment factors (hereinafter "factors) that determine a prospective…

Every year in Riverside School District, a pseudonym, children face the prospect of not attaining a prekindergarten school admission. Riverside has a large population of Black and Brown students and Haitian second language learners. The school also has a high percentage, 89.4%, of families who are considered to be low-income (School and District…

This study examined how Directors of Admissions informed, conceptualized, and delivered a response to summer melt in the admissions enrollment process, if at all. Semi structured interviews were conducted with eight Directors of Admissions and/or their designee throughout small-medium sized private institutions in New England, chosen through…

Doctoral education is an expensive and difficult endeavor. Program faculty are interested in finding students who will be successful in completing their courses and obtaining employment. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is often used to assess a student's readiness for the rigors of graduate education. A student's readiness for doctoral…

This dissertation studies a few topics in industrial organization. In the first two chapters, I study the education market from the perspective of industrial organization. Chapter 3 studies second-price auctions with participation costs. Chapters 1 and 2 study the high school market of a large city in China that introduced a policy allowing public…

In the United States, half of the undergraduate population, about 10 million students, attend community colleges. These open-door institutions manifest our society's commitment to educational opportunity and reflect a shared understanding of postsecondary education as the foundation for economic growth and upward mobility. While the motivation of…

Academic advising can teach students how to engage with post-secondary curricula and connect curricular engagement to career exploration and lifelong learning. However, academic advising is both a one-on-one activity and a systemic enterprise, and institutions should thoroughly communicate the benefits and functions of advising on official…

Magnet schools have been a main tool or innovation in urban education settings in the United States, originating in the early 1970's and expanding into most large urban districts today (Blank, 1989). While some magnet schools do not rely on a specific criterion to determine entry, many do. This study focuses on such a setting where students must…