This study of 420 entering students at Dartmouth Medical School (New Hampshire) found that a combination of criteria such as Medical College Admission Test scores, undergraduate science grade averages, and college selectivity was useful in identifying successful first-year students. Results also indicated that the admissions committee…

A study investigated college admissions committee policies for recognizing and rewarding high school advanced placement and honors coursework. One-quarter award an extra grade point for advanced classes, 45 percent give priority in processing these applicants, and 66 percent give points in ranking applications. Advanced placement coursework is…

A survey of 92 medical college admissions officers indicated the admissions interview has two major purposes: assessing candidates' noncognitive skills and public relations. Most interview processes were loosely to moderately structured, and interviewers received minimal training. The interviewer's role is primarily subjective but influential in…

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.…

Contends that the nation will begin to resolve the debate over racial preferences only when public commentators begin to draw a clear distinction between the procedural morality of color blindness and the historical morality of racial justice. Explains that it matters very much how college admissions decisions are made and recommends that people…

Three sets of data collected from Australian Year 12 students making tertiary education decisions showed considerable indecision in the first wave; in the second wave, the influence of the university-admissions handbook inhibited choice of technical education. The uniquely Australian university admission system and the pressures of Year 12 limit…

A study analyzed reasons why an introductory chemistry course serves as a gatekeeper that governs enrollment at Denmark's Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University. It concluded that admission procedures and criteria, the market economy model for higher education, and curriculum structure emphasizing pure science as foundation for biological…

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…

Because high school students are constantly bombarded with information, they have adapted to quickly screen only the information they want. E-mail is perhaps the most underused online method of delivering personalized, customized information to prospective students. While the Internet will not replace paper and ink, it will be a combination of…

Examines how 8th and 10th grade student and parent attitudes and aspirations affected postsecondary attendance. Two-year and four-year students differed by socioeconomic status; educational aspirations; and concerns about college costs, reputations, and admission standards. Recommends early intervention to effect long-term systemic change in the…

Analyzes "Key Skills Qualification" component of broader curriculum reform effort in England. Provides historical overview of policy and discusses problems associated with its implementation, including strong student resistance. Discusses two approaches to addressing implementation problems, the "tweaking" approach and the…

Reports that current trends, including development of World Wide Web sites for college-bound students and decreased emphasis on Scholastic Assessment Tests by state universities, threaten the College Board's predominant position. Notes priorities of the Board's new president includes development of its own web site. Questions are raised about the…

Discusses the concerns of policy makers about criteria for inclusion in affirmative action policies, explaining that the historical record of affirmative action offers little guidance for action today. Examines early minority designations, the making of official U.S. minorities, minority capitalism, affirmative action college admissions, who was…

Examines data from University of California Berkeley minority alumni who considered themselves affirmative action students, investigating themes from alumni interviews that addressed their academic experiences, factors influencing success, and perceptions of affirmative action's impact. Respondents believed that affirmative action worked, and its…

This article asserts low graduation rates, a lack of information for those who do graduate, and a perceived hostile environment on some campuses cut the college matriculation rates of African American students, making them an endangered species on some campuses. It discusses the root causes and effects of the low population of African American…