This study investigates the effects of adults' enrollment in and graduation from a two-year college on their hourly wages and occupational status in U.S. by employing a growth curve model and a piecewise model. College enrollment reduced hourly wages and occupational status by 13.8% and 2.74 points, respectively. Less-educated workers whose wages…

The effect of survey procedures suggested by Dillman's Total Design Method on response rate to a mail survey of two-year college alumni was tested. Results provided a test of Dillman's techniques in an educational setting and further information for institutional researchers about ways to improve response rates. (Author/MLW)

Most research in the area of higher education is plagued by the problem of endogeneity or self-selection bias. Unlike ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, propensity score matching addresses the issue of self-selection bias and allows for a decomposition of treatment effects on outcomes. Using panel data from a national survey of bachelor's…

Possible respondents in a 1974 survey of University of Kentucky doctoral graduates were sent either computer-prepared or offset-printed questionnaires, personalized and identical in content. Overall response rates were similar except when the responses were categorized by the academic major of each recipient. (Editor/LBH)

Assessed effects of college selectivity and control on earnings and indebtedness. Found evidence of a substantial earnings return to college selectivity and control, and that enhanced earnings for graduates from selective private colleges quickly offset their associated heavier debt. Problematic issues include a mix of high debt loads and sub-par…

Patterns of doctoral study and subsequent career progress were compared for 756 men and women doctoral graduates in education at a research university. Work experience prior to doctoral study strongly predicted career progress for both genders. Affirmative action may have positively affected the careers of recent women doctorates. (Author/MLW)

A survey of 10,000 United Kingdom college graduates explored satisfaction with the contribution that higher education had made to their general development. The study examined which students were likely to evaluate the contribution favorably, made inferences about institution type and contribution, and explored the relationship with student age.…

Follow-up studies of doctoral graduates at Ohio State and Michigan State are compared. The survey considered alumni perceptions of guidance committee activities, course work, comprehensive examinations, and dissertations. (Author/MLW)

A study of University of Tennessee, Knoxville, graduates (n=828) at time of graduation and after two years found job satisfaction significantly positively correlated with ratings of the college experience. Women were less satisfied with their pay than were men but not more dissatisfied with the work or more likely to be looking for another job.…

A study investigated attitudinal, demographic, involvement, and philanthropic characteristics of a university's alumni donors (n=210) and nondonors (n=161). Analysis revealed predictors of nondonors versus donors with 65 percent accuracy, and high donors versus low donors with 87 percent accuracy. Implications for fund raising are discussed.…

Data from the Social Science Citation Index are used to measure the differential productivity among graduates of established and prestigiuos doctoral programs. Quality of former graduate students' productivity (publications) is assessed. Patterns concerning the quality of productivity, both across departments and within alumni of the same…

This study of 174 students graduating from 11 small rural high schools in Iowa found that students felt themselves well prepared by their schools, that 80 percent went on to postsecondary education, and that most of these achieved a degree. Results are discussed with regard to the influence of the rural school and community in facilitating…

Two competing models of the relationship between college graduates' perceived learning and satisfaction with the college experience are examined, one representing a true effect and one treating the relationship as an artifact of the halo effect. It is recommended that researchers be cautious in interpreting self-reports of learning and…

A study to establish baseline data on the outcomes of doctoral education at a private, urban university is described. Areas examined are impact of doctoral education on career development; perceived influence of institutional values on graduates; and frequency and type of research/scholarly activities engaged in during and after graduate school.…

A survey of respondents and nonrespondents to the Vocational Education Data System's follow-up survey of Massachusetts community college graduates was designed to measure response bias. The survey investigated employment patterns, wages, and degree of job relatedness. Results suggest original data was biased, if at all, toward underestimation, not…