Aspects of colleges that were important to parents of high school seniors for the process of selecting a college were assessed in a 1978-79 survey. A sample of parents of high school seniors who had combined Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test scores of 100 or greater and who were residents of six metropolitan areas in the United States were contacted through a mail questionnaire. Findings that may be useful to academic marketers include: factual, impersonal information (e.g., fields of study offered) were generally preferred through impersonal information media (e.g., college publications). Factual information that may differ according to a student's personal situation (e.g., financial information, career information) was most likely to be desired via college admissions officers. General qualitative information (e.g., general academic reputation) appeared to be preferred from a source that is not associated with the institution such as high school counselors. Current students and alumni were most likely to be considered the best sources of specific qualitative data (e.g., teaching reputation of faculty, social atmosphere). Parents of current students were viewed as a secondary role in conveying certain types of information to parents of prospective students. Parents thought that official college promotional resources were not very desirable media through which to convey information about institutional quality or reputation; and while students were considered to be sources of information about teaching, they were not preferred sources for more general qualitative information, except regarding social atmosphere. A bibliography is appended. (SW)