A study found that interviewers of medical school applicants (n=471) were influenced in their ratings of applicants' noncognitive attributes by grade point average and Medical College Admission Test scores, when available, and by gender and race in accordance with affirmative action goals. Only moderate reliability across interviewers was found.…

Admissions offices of colleges trying to increase undergraduate student diversity are being criticized for failing to explain their affirmative action policies to prospective students and their parents, resulting in a backlash against affirmative action as white students fear reverse discrimination. (DB)

A study of over 8,000 admissions of Cornell University (New York) graduates to 19 highly selective medical schools, 1982-89, found that grade point average (GPA) was extremely influential especially at 9 schools. It was concluded that applicants often receive encouragement to continue the application process despite little chance of acceptance.…

The Pennsylvania State University national alumni admissions program involves alumni in direct recruitment of undergraduate students. This is a major service to the institution, increasing friends of the college and contacts with organizations, clubs, local high schools, and prospective students. Most important, it provides local contacts for…

Justice Department documents prepared for an antitrust lawsuit suggest that the way the eight Ivy League colleges and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have recruited students and awarded financial aid amounts to price fixing. The Overlap Group, 23 elite private colleges, met regularly to compare financial aid packages offered to common…

A study at Calvin College (Michigan), a medium-sized Christian comprehensive college, investigated differences between 247 potential applicants having multiple contacts with the school but not applying, 274 admitted students who did not enroll, and 822 freshmen. It examined factors in college choice decisions, how the college compared to their…

The ethics of using information on college students' applications to determine which parents might be potential donors to the institution are debated. The exchange of information between admissions and development offices without parents' knowledge is seen by some as compromising institutional integrity. (MSE)

Describes three approaches to collecting data on student intent. Mt. Hood Community College (Oregon) solicits goals data during registration. Johnson County Community College (Kansas) collects intent information on the admissions application and then updates each term. St. Louis Community College (Missouri) asks about goals at admissions and…

Argues that economics education provides many benefits to students, including preparation for law school. Examines the ranking of economics majors on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Finds that among the 14 majors having more than 2,000 students take the LSAT, economics students received the highest average score. (DSK)

Using data from a national longitudinal survey, a study explored factors predisposing students from single- and two-parent families to pursue postsecondary education and identified implications for enrollment managers and researchers. Results indicate that, although parents play the most pivotal role for each group of students, mothers are of…

A survey of 88 graduate schools investigated the nature of the administrative process for selecting graduate students, factors considered in examining applications for admission, and attention given to prospective students' preparation in their chosen graduate field. Results are summarized, and implications for graduate schools are discussed.…

Top college admissions criteria include strength of curriculum and outstanding grades throughout high school, strong standardized test scores, and information gleaned from the personal application form about cocurricular activities and community service. Teacher recommendations and personal interviews are not as predictive as personal…

Presents the findings of a study examining the career and educational aspirations of white and nonwhite students at public two-year colleges. Reports that both groups of traditional-age students possess positive perceptions of community colleges and see the institutions as springboards to achieving their personal and career goals. (KS)

Discusses the mounting pressures higher education faces in finding new ways to assess high school students' fitness for college, describing four problems that state are encountering (economic conditions, high attrition levels, changing high school exit requirements, and the changing face of schools) and explaining states' responses to these…

Evaluated a computer-delivered response type for measuring quantitative skill, the "Generating Examples" (GE) response type, which presents under-determined problems that can have many right answers. Results from 257 graduate students and applicants indicate that GE scores are reasonably reliable, but only moderately related to Graduate…