Institutional graduation rates occupy a prominent place in institutional research and public policy. Graduation rates are used in the College Scorecard, state performance funding initiatives, and potentially affect a significant proportion of public institutions revenues. Despite their widespread use, research suggests that institutional…

The current study examined the relationships among student and high school characteristics and the decision to enroll in either a two- or four-year college or university. The purpose of the research was to assess the feasibility of using enrollment propensity (i.e., the likelihood of enrolling in college) as a baseline to evaluate the…

Despite being criticized as unrepresentative and misleading, retention and graduation rates are an important part of college-search web sites and accountability systems, and they frequently have been used as indicators of institutional quality and effectiveness in educational research. Retention and graduation rates are often compared over time…

This study examined the contingent relationships between learning community participation and student engagement in educational activities inside and outside the classroom using data from the 2004 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Results indicated that learning community participation was positively and…

Calls for accountability in higher education are prompted in part by questions concerning whether colleges and universities use their resources effectively to promote student learning. Unfortunately, too little is known about whether money matters to desired outcomes of college. Using students' responses to the 2004 administration of the National…

The few studies focusing on the relationships between higher education expenditures and student outcomes have produced contradictory results. This study hypothesized that the lack of consistent relationships is a function of the fact that the effects of expenditures on outcomes are mediated by student engagement. Furthermore, it is expected that…

Affirmative action in college admissions is based on the premise that a diverse student body contributes to interactions among students from different backgrounds, which are in turn positively related to desirable outcomes of college. This study evaluates the merits of this rationale for affirmative action by examining the direct and indirect…

Recent research and critiques of affirmative action in college admissions raise questions about popular approaches for enhancing learning outcomes, suggesting that a diverse student body is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for experiencing diversity, creating supportive learning environments, or fostering desired outcomes of college.…

The Carnegie classification system has served as a framework for research on colleges and universities for more than 30 years. Today, the system's developers are exploring criteria that more effectively differentiate among institutions. One approach being considered is classifying institutions based on students' educational experiences. This study…

Evaluated the usefulness of three approaches for predicting college grades: traditional regression models, high-school-effects models, and hierarchical linear models. Found that both the high-school-effects and the hierarchical linear models were more accurate predictors of freshman GPA than the traditional model, particularly for lower-ability…

Although institutional characteristics are assumed to influence student learning and intellectual development, this link has not been empirically confirmed. This study examined whether institutional mission, represented by Carnegie classification, is related to student learning and development. Participants were a stratified random sample of 1,500…

Studies of the relationships between higher education expenditures and student outcomes are relatively rare. The present research examined the relationships between higher education expenditures and students' engagement in educationally purposeful activities. Findings indicate that the relationships between expenditures and student engagement are…

The Carnegie classification system has served as a framework for research on colleges and universities for more than 30 years. Today, the system's developers are exploring criteria that more effectively differentiate among institutions. One approach being considered is classifying institutions based on students' educational experiences. This study…

A study of 1,568 students in 10 2- and 4-year colleges and universities found that while students' self-reports of academic development and test scores developed from the same test specifications did measure the same constructs, the measures are not necessarily interchangeable. Analyses also produced ambiguous results concerning stability of…

A survey of 799 freshmen at a residential, public research university found perceived school quality had a significant effect on intent to persist for minorities but not for non-minorities, and academic achievement had a significant effect for non-minorities but not for minorities. However, similarities between the groups were more common than…