This study aims to determine the relationships between key student behaviors and the institutional practices and conditions that foster student success. To do so, student-level records from different types of colleges and universities are merged to examine the links between student engagement and two key outcomes of college: academic achievement…

This study explores the relationship between organizational and individual characteristics and diversity-related experiences at liberal arts colleges. Compared with their counterparts at other types of institutions, students at liberal arts colleges report more experiences with diversity. In addition, this study also finds that diversity…

Academic selectivity plays a dominant role in the public's understanding of what constitutes institutional excellence or quality in undergraduate education. In this study, we analyzed two independent data sets to estimate the net effect of three measures of college selectivity on dimensions of documented good practices in undergraduate education.…

This study focuses on the extent to which international students engage in effective educational practices. Specifically, it compares the activities of international undergraduate students with American students in selected areas that research shows is related to student learning, personal development, and satisfaction with college, including the…

Students today are different from their counterparts of three and four decades ago. Women have outnumbered men for more than 15 years, and the participation rates for members of historically underrepresented groups have made impressive gains. Many of these "new" students are the first in their families to attend college. It is important that these…

Compared levels of engagement in learning activities and gains of students at research universities (RUs) and other types of colleges in the 1980s and 1990s. Though students at other universities generally outperformed RU students, the gap closed somewhat between the mid-80s and mid-90s due in part to declines in many learning productivity…

A matrix of planning problems is developed to illustrate pitfalls typically encountered in formal planning. Problems with goals, participation, information and communication, interdependencies, and resources may occur at each of four planning stages: capacity to plan, and initiation, development, and implementation of plans. (Author/MLW)

A profile of prolific contributors to higher education literature is presented. Exceptional output is associated with academic sponsorship, authentic enjoyment of inquiry activities, facilitating work environments and personal life styles, a capacity for taking advantage of fortuitous opportunities, and an inordinate amount of time and effort…

This survey of 149 students explored learning from out-of-class college experiences such as leadership, peer interaction, faculty contact, work, and travel. It found that many different experiences potentially contribute to valued college outcomes, that sex and ethnicity did not explain differences in students' activities and outcomes, and that…