This study first reviews research on factors that influence the ways individuals make decisions, such as the size of an organization and its structure, the nature of the power coalitions within the organization, and certain traits such as risk-taking, self-concept, and gender. The study interviewed 33 administrators at varying levels within six institutions of higher education, including five presidents, five academic deans, six deans of students, six chairpersons, five directors or deans of admissions, and six directors of financial aid. Interview data are analyzed by administrator rank and by the two factors that seemed to most influence decisions: gender and power. Among the conclusions are the following: (1) organizational structure and size determined the way administrators made decisions and played their part in the decision process; (2) administrators relied on more than one source of information or support for their decisions; (3) administrators positively valued consultative decision-making; and (4) female administrators were perceived as being more nurturing, more attentive to detail, and more process-oriented than their male counterparts. Includes 26 references. (JDD)