This study looks at the evolution of the financial aid process as a function of higher education administration and its impact on the recruitment and retention of college students. It illustrates the effects on enrollment of differing financial aid strategies and recommends possible directions for meeting the challenges of the 21st century.…

This report examines whether educationally disadvantaged or at-risk preschool children have access to center-based early childhood programs similar to the access enjoyed by advantaged children, and whether the programs are of comparable quality. Eight risk factors that represent gross indications of educational disadvantage are examined, including…

Factors affecting enrollment in agricultural education at the secondary level were determined in a two-part study. One part focused on factors influencing students' decisions to enroll in agricultural education; the other examined 64 recruitment and retention practices teachers use. Purposive sampling ensured geographic and demographic…

Two research reports provide results of two Ohio studies to investigate factors that influence a student not to enter a high school vocational curriculum. The studies focus on the Vanguard Joint Vocational School (JVS) and five feeder comprehensive high schools and the Lawrence County JVS and seven feeder comprehensive high schools. Both reports…

Designed as a forum for the exchange of information among members of the National Council for Research and Planning (NCRP), this journal provides articles on various aspects of community college research, management, and planning. The two issues of volume 6 contain the following articles: (1) "The President's Forum: What Have We Accomplished?" by…

This study sought to determine and examine the barriers to student enrollment in vocational education programs, especially as they related to ethnic minority, economically disadvantaged, limited English proficient, handicapped, migrant, and female students, as perceived by students, parents, and vocational advisory committee members in the Yakima…

The Minnesota Higher Education Coordinating Board annually publishes a report of enrollments in Minnesota post-secondary education. The enrollment data presented here were provided by Minnesota public and private postsecondary education institutions in fall 1987. The 1987 enrollments are compared to the preceding four years. This annual report,…

In 1988, a study was conducted at John Tyler Community College (JTCC) to investigate patterns in student retention during the 1987-88 academic year. A survey was mailed to 124 full-time and 237 part-time students who enrolled in the fall quarter but did not return for the winter or spring quarters. Study findings, based on a 50% response rate,…

A study was conducted by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) to determine impediments to and facilitators of adult students' success during their first semester of attendance at a community college and to recommend interventions which would minimize the difficulties of returning adults as they attempt to manage the learning process. The…

Major demographic trends affecting the size and composition of the college population, and consequences for higher education are examined. Trends and implications include the following: the under-20 group will fall below 30 percent during the decade; total births and birth rates are up in the Sun Belt and holding even or declining in most of the…

A study was conducted at John C. Calhoun State Community College to establish the effectiveness and continued need for full-time counseling services by examining the possible impact of counseling on enrollment, withdrawal, and graduation rates and on financial aid recipiency. The study involved: (1) a review of pertinent literature; (2)…

Postsecondary plans of over 16,000 freshmen and seniors enrolled in Pennsylvania's public and private high schools during 1983-1984 were studied. Attention was directed to the effect of community, school, family, and student personal factors and characteristics that influence student decisions to attend various forms of postsecondary education.…

A review and analysis of programs and strategies which help program planners and curriculum developers eliminate sex bias in vocational education are presented in this state-of-the-art paper. It is noted that vocational educators are only now beginning to report in any volume on the subject of sex fairness and that there is little doctoral…

The purpose of this study is to examine the gains and losses to different groups in the population if currently prevalent methods of state aid to local public schools are replaced by popular reform plans. Criteria for financing public education are discussed and a method is proposed to analyze suggested reform plans. Data from the state of…

At the request of the Future Farmers of America (FFA), an analysis was conducted of reasons for a decline in membership in 1977-79 after a 40-year period of steady growth. Factors such as the vocational-agriculture teacher shortage, number of chartered FFA chapters, certification status of teachers, FFA membership costs, and contract length of…