Explores one school district's reconsideration of a revised grading policy assigning differential point values to letter grades earned, based on course difficulty. A grading system called "Windows" was designed to preserve the advantages of a pass/fail system. Transcript analyses disclosed unpredictable shifts in class rank, penalties for…

Describes workshop designed to help college-bound high school students begin to address developmental issues before matriculating. Discusses workshop activities based on Coons' (1974) description of developmental tasks of college students: resolution of parent-child relationship, solidifying sexual identity, formulation of personal value system,…

A study investigated the variables associated with high school students' sensitivity to tuition in the college-choice process, interaction of tuition and student aid, relationship of family and student characteristics to this sensitivity, and the roles of student perceptions and student institutional connections in price sensitivity. Subjects were…

Review of national (United Kingdom) and international university league tables published in 1998 in major British newspapers finds that these efforts to rank institutions by using weighted combinations of performance indicators do not provide most potential students with the critical information needed to choose a school. (DB)

Heavy growth in the population of high school graduates seeking higher education opportunities presents a special challenge to higher education. These students will reflect growing racial and ethnic heterogeneity. This trend and the increasing need for advanced education mean that the short-term response of higher education will heavily influence…

A threshold utility model was used to assess the usefulness of adding a scholastic aptitude test to a selection system for applicants to a liberal arts program. Results with 426 subjects indicated that the test added little in recruiting students who passed, but did help in identifying potentially excellent students. (SLD)

When Urseline Academy girls need career advice, academic guidance, or personal support, they e-mail their mentors--professional women in the Dallas area whose "real-world" knowledge helps the students make informed choices. The program is an outgrowth of a summer internship program stressing student-centered learning. (MLH)

Most distance-education programs involve getting students in small, rural schools, or schools with limited resources, hooked up with teachers in large districts or in community colleges and universities. Schools need to keep a close eye on possible implementation problems and document results. Sidebars list six suggestions for distance teachers…

Describes a study that compares the performance of community college and technical students who transferred to four-year universities. Indicates that technical college students had higher grade point averages but community college students had higher persistence rates. Contains 8 data tables and 17 references. (JDI)

Discusses the experiences of Piedmont Virginia Community College students who have transferred into the teacher education program at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education. Makes recommendations for the improvement of such programs, such as monitoring cohort groups for the duration of the program and providing intensive advising.…

Compares grade point average (GPA) and graduation rates of transfer students and native students at a large university. Reports that: (1) transfer students suffer from transfer shock, but that they recover and graduate at rates comparable with native students; and (2) there was not a significant difference in the cumulative GPAs of the transfers…

This longitudinal study examined expectations about university and subsequent adjustment in the first year among 226 students. Results indicated that students with more complex expectations about university tended to adjust better to stressful circumstances than students with simpler expectations. (Author/KB)

Opportunity in this country is more and more a function of education. Education matters. Headlines tell the story. On average, the individual with an associate's degree will earn 20-to-30 percent more than the worker who only has a high school diploma. The worker with a bachelor's degree will earn 40 percent more than the high school graduate. The…

For large numbers of international students, U.S. community colleges are the gateway to U.S. higher education. Community colleges offer lower cost, high quality programs in a wide variety of disciplines in smaller class sizes. At the same time, admission requirements are more flexible than at four-year institutions. International students seeking…

Eight years ago, a California school district abolished a traditional two-tiered system--one tier for (mostly white and Asian) college-bound students, the other for those aiming solely for high school graduation--and replaced it with one pointing all students toward college. Responding to parental demands, the board adopted rigorous graduation…