The growing demographic diversity of the under-graduate student body in American postsecondary education has been well documented over an extended period of time. One result of this increased diversity is the substantial number of "first-generation" college students from families where neither parent had more than a high-school education. For…

This multi-institution, longitudinal study investigated relationships between various experiences in the second and third years of college and students' openness to diversity and challenges to their beliefs and attitudes. The strongest positive influences on openness to diversity and challenge were precollege openness to diversity, student…

Defendants of affirmative action are asked to demonstrate that race-sensitive admissions policies and diversity produce educational benefits for all students. This study found that the racial/ethnic composition of a classroom may indeed be related to the development of students' problem-solving and group skills. The nature of that effect, however,…

A study examined the impact of prejudice and discrimination at 18 institutions on the adjustment of 1,454 students to college. Results indicate perceived discriminatory behavior negatively affected minority-student academic/intellectual development, social experiences, and institutional commitment. Although differential effects were noted for…

Controlling for precollege aptitude and other influences, a study found male intercollegiate football and basketball players tended to have significantly lower levels of second-year writing skills and third-year critical-thinking and reading-comprehension skills than nonathletes and athletes in other sports. There was little evidence of similar,…

This study tested Tinto's theoretical model of attrition. After controlling for student sex, academic aptitude, and personality attributes, freshman persisters were found to have a significantly higher frequency of interactions along six dimensions than were voluntary leavers. (Editor/LBH)

Students academic development, as reported by students themselves, was unattributable to precollege characteristics, and significantly tied to participation in classroom activities. (Author/MLW)

A five-scale instrument developed from a theoretical model of college attrition correctly identified the persistence/voluntary withdrawal decisions of 78.5 percent of 773 freshmen in a large, residential university. Findings showed that student relationships with faculty were particularly important. (Author/PHR)

Problems when developing and operating a successful student assessment program are described. Potential problems and solutions in three major areas are examined: the purposes and definitions of assessment, program implementation, and assessment designs and methods. (Author/MLW)