This resource paper on financial aid for postsecondary education covers various types of financial aid (grants, loans, and employment); the technical words and phrases used to discuss it (such as "financial need,""family contribution," and "financial aid package"); and the process involved in its disbursement. Particular attention is given to…

The Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act gives community colleges a strong incentive to track transfer students. Westchester Community College (WCC) in New York devised a four-step process to track students who transferred to four-year college before graduating. The method used to track student transfers involved the following steps: (1)…

This directory, which updates and expands a 1989 version, provides information to guide students with disabilities, their parents, and school personnel in planning for postsecondary higher education opportunities. The guide is divided into seven sections to assist in planning and choosing the right college. A year-by-year plan stresses the need to…

Outcomes of an Advanced Placement Program that has been implemented in 15 southern states to improve student achievement are examined in this report. The program gives students the opportunity to take college-level courses for college credit, dependent upon passing the Advanced Placement Examination. Following a description of the program and its…

The traditional system of letter grades discourages college-bound students from taking difficult courses. Many colleges look closely at an applicant's grade point average (GPA). When a student's GPA is computed, a grade from an easy course carries as much weight as a grade from a difficult course. Since a student can achieve a higher grade with…

Perspectives on secondary school preparation and college admissions, and specifically admissions to selective colleges, are provided. According to a 1977 Stanford University document (which is briefly summarized but not appended), there is considerable variation in the number of solid academic courses taken by high school students, and capable…

A discussion concerning college attendance is summarized. Participants were four students and three representatives of the National Commission on Excellence in Education. The two high school seniors were asked questions that focused primarily on their assessment of their high school preparation and how they envisioned their adjustment to college…

This study examines the academic records of students in the Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) who completed the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). An attempt was made to identify the differences between high, average, and low scoring students on the SAT with respect to course patterns, grade point averages, and standardized…

This review of recent studies indicates that the relationship between school social class composition and the college plans of students appears to involve a positive effect of the former upon the DESIRE to attend college, which is transmitted through personal friends in school, and a negative effect upon self-perceived ABILITY to attend college.…

The report examines postsecondary developmental education for students denied regular admission to the institution. Addressed are such concerns as the evolution of developmental programs, the effect of developmental programs on the integrity of academic institutions, and the future of postsecondary developmental programs. The report's seven…

Students enrolled in the 1988/89 College Bound Program of the New York City public schools met evaluation criteria in writing and mathematics but did not meet reading evaluation objectives. The Program, funded under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act, is designed to improve the reading, writing, and mathematics skills of…

A telephone survey was conducted at John Tyler Community College (JTCC) to determine the initial goals, reasons for leaving, current activities, plans, and characteristics of students who left the college after one or more quarters of attendance. Telephone calls were made to all 103 full-time students and a 17% sample of the part-time students…

As part of a high school outreach project involving Sacramento City College (SCC), the Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK) was administered to all 11th grade standard English classes at C. K. McClatchy High School. In addition, an educational planning form was used to gather information on students' ethnicity, interest in a specific college…

Students' last years in high school which otherwise might be ones in which they enjoy the privileges of their seniority can become a nightmare of waiting, fear of rejection, despair, and desperation for many college-bound students. The whole structure of college admissions is hopelessly archaic, exorbitantly wasteful and one which systematically…

This initial study phase deals with the accuracy of the information provided by students on the newly revised Student Descriptive Questionnaire (SDQ). The SDQ, an optional part of the College Board's Admissions Testing Program, is intended to supplement the information base to improve the quality of decisions made by college admissions personnel,…