Changes in the college and university environment (oversimplified instructional materials, demand for detailed instructions, avoidance of challenge in curricula, overuse of student evaluation of faculty) suggest that in their efforts to recruit and retain students, institutions have promoted students' increased intellectual dependency. This…

Argues that the results of College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, nationally recognized, high-quality examinations conventionally used to award college credits, should be included in students' grade point averages. This would provide important information to graduate schools. Regents College (New York) has adopted a procedure for…

Describes the College Board's Pacesetter Program, high school courses developed using principles of ongoing performance testing and portfolios, standards, and curriculum. The model is illustrated in a description of the Voices of Modern Culture language arts course. Argues that this assessment process has systemic validity and is more relevant to…

Since 1972, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules have allowed freshmen to play varsity football and basketball. College athletics has changed dramatically in intervening years, and the pressures of competition create a situation in which it is difficult for freshman athletes to develop a well-balanced academic, social, and…

A discussion of prepaid college tuition plans, operational in a dozen states, finds that they have proven viable but present problems in three areas: (1) their structure must not redistribute state resources to the relatively wealthy; (2) participation may create pressure on admissions policy; and (3) state legislatures may see the accumulated…

Higher education institutions around the world, in search of new areas for growth and additional resources, are seeking multiple accreditation, across national boundaries. The fastest movement will be in professional education. The prospect of regional and global accreditation, motivated by trade agreements, is emerging as North American…

College recruiters, especially those wishing to empower poor and disadvantaged students, can no longer use economic inducements to encourage people to attend college. Such tactics are a disservice to the student, community, and admissions profession. Emphasis should be on creating an environment in which each student can develop his full…

Although there are similarities between college counselors' roles in stateside and American-sponsored overseas schools (A/OS) affiliated with the Department of State, several factors peculiar to the overseas environment influence the counselor's role: professional isolation; greater student cultural diversity; dissimilar host-country values and…

Direct-mail communication with potential college applicants can be a highly effective way of increasing an institution's applicant pool or it can be an expensive waste of time and money. Techniques learned by the Student Search Service are discussed along with other factors such as response rate, cost, editorial and graphic quality, and honesty.…

One reliable way to measure student writing ability is to gather and evaluate a series of writing samples or essays over a period of time. The use of multiple-choice tests in combination with essay assignments can be the most educationally sound solution to the administrative problems involved in college course placements. (Editor/LBH)

The federal government has expanded its role as consumer and investor by taking financial responsibility for the promotion of equal opportunity and the support of research and graduate instruction. The adversary relationship between universities and the government is described, and suggestions for improvements are offered. (LBH)

The educational value of standardized tests and their fairness to racial and ethnic groups continue to be intensely debated issues that affect public policies. This article summarizes many of the prominent points of view and suggests a series of six policy alternatives as possible solutions to the controversies. (Editor/LBH)

The responsibility for preventing too much federal regulation of education rests with the educators themselves. The author urges administrators to assert greater influence on legislators and offers five ways to regulate the regulators. (Editor/LBH)

The true value of education is addressed by the vice president for education and research of the Ford Foundation. It is suggested that the economic value of education has been overplayed, and the idea that better educated people make better citizens is explored. (LBH)

The College Scholarship Service Student Advisory Committee conducted a series of hearings in seven states and surveyed 250 students regarding financial aid problems. Specific problems are identified and recommendations by the committee are offered. (LBH)