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Fall 1994 Volume LXX Number 1

Page4 Any college or university has th

resources 10 condua effective market roearclz. A surprisingly small

amount of time, effort, and money spent on market roearr/J can lead lo more applications and higher yield,

and, most importantly, to belier matchs between students and colleges.

tr: AACRAO IMMM.i

The Americ:an Aswciation ofCollegiHc Registrars and Admissions Offia:rs, founded in 1910, is a nonprofit, volun111ry, professional education asso• ciation of degree-granting postsecondary institu• tions, govemment agencies, priwte educational organization•. 2nd education-oriented bu•ine55cs in the United Sl:llcs and abroad. hs goal is IO

promote higher educ:iuon and funher the profes­sional development of members working in admis­sions, enrollment managcmem, linancial aid, insti­tutional research, records, and n:gistntion.

FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market Research-The First Step in Your Marketing Program

By JAMES C. WALTERS

The Academic Preparation, Aspirations, and First· Year Performance of First-Generation Students

By RICHARD}. RIEHL

The Medical School Admission Interview: Conduct and Content

By CAROLL. ELAM, MITZI M.S. JOHNSON,

and KAREN s. LENHOFF

"Dear Prospective Student": An Analysis of Admissions Materials from Four Universities

By CAITLIN ANDERSON

State Feedback Systems Report By E t:GENEJ. MAGAC

DEPARTMENTS

4

14

20

28

40

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index to Volume LXIX 44

• AACRAO docs not endorse the products or services of any adverciseL The advertiser assumes responsibility and liability for the content of any advertising. The opinions expressed by the authon do not nca:ssarily reflect the views ofMCRAO. • Question• on subscription, back i55ucs, advenising, and membership information should be addressed w MCRAO, One Dupont Circle, NW,Suite330, Washingwn, DC 20036-1171; (ZOZ) 293-9161; FAX(ZOZ) 872-8857. Printed in the U.S.A. Second claH postage is paid in Washington, DC. Microlilm editions arc available from University Microfilms lmcmational. 3000 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106. Colkgr11nd U•ivmiry is indexed by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education: Current lndc:x to Journals in Education, Current Conir:nu: Educ::ation, and Higher Eduation Ati.tr:icu. POSTMASTER: Send change of address changes w C,,lltgn:11d V11ivmiry, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suiir: 330, Wushingwn, DC ZOOJ6-t 171.

Editor GBORGBANNB B. Potn'BR

UlliDmil/ of Nw..ri.Co/nr/Jia

Advt.ory Commiucc ELLJOTJ' G. BAlcBR Sfi/IJWY Rod Ulliwmq

ROMANS. GAWKOSKI MilfV'MI* Ullirxniq

J. CA.RTBR HJBSTAND l'rillalotl 1llolotPJ s-;..,, GBORGB HUI'CHINSON

Sa DitpS/41' (J~

CHARl.Bs RICJtARD Klfll &611 Ulliwmq

ALANSBIDMAN Pllfi/ai ColJct

ROBBRT A. Sm.TZBR U•iwnilJ of Ardit/nl

BBTH L. WBCDfUBLLBR U.iomiq of WileotUitt-NU-W

AMBRlCAN AssoCIATION OF CoLLl!GIATE REGISTRARS AND AoMl8SIONS 0FFJOKRS

President NANCY C. SPRO'ITB Sn /Jilfo 8141' UtffatnilJ

Past President JBPPBRY M. TANNBR

BritM• y_,,u---, President-Elect

STANLEY E. ffBNDBRSON W.uan Nidit,tttl U.i«nil]

Vicc President for International Education WD.LIAM J. PAVBR

TM Ufliomiq of Tnar 111 AflSlia

Vice President for Rcgi!ltrltion and Records Management

FRBDBRJCK A. FRBSH Chrl Adlt11111 Ulliolnil]

Vice President fur Professional Development, Rcscatch. and Pubticarlons

WUJ..IAM R. HAm Ulliomiq of Coltrotlo 111 81111/tkr

Vice President for Enrollment Management, Admissions, and Financial Aid WAL'mR H. WASHJNGTON

UfliottWJ of lllitloil 111 G&ap

Vice President for Regional Associations and lnscitutional Issues

CAROL E. MBDDBRS Uttiomiq of~ ot B;,.,;.;-

Sccrctary-Treasurer PAUL H. ANDBRSON

F•191111 Ufliom#J

Assistant Executive Dircaor Communications

ffBNRrANNB K. WAKBPIBLD

Managing Editor En.BBN M. KBNNBDY

Director of Marketing & Corporate Relations JP.NNIPllR M. HARRISON

Don't Forget the Basics

A s we embark on another hectic fall, it is important not to forget the basics. Caitlin Anderson points out some direct-mail recruitment ba­sics in "Dear Prospective Student," a study of several colleges' re­sponses (and lack thereofl) to a prospective srudent's inquiry. Simi­

larly, Jim Walters reminds us that any marketing program should begin with market research, and he supplies an inexpensive and useful tool already in place at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Richard Riehl approaches enroll­ment management research from a retention scandpoinc in his study of freshmen who are first-generation college students.

Elam, Johnson, and Lenhoff study a very basic aspect of medical school admission, the candidate interview, and find that the basics are not so basic, that there were distinct differences in the imerviewers' perception of both content and purpose. And finally, Eugene Magac reports the results of a survey by the MCRAO Transfer and Articulation Committee on a basic issue of articulation: whether states have a mechanism in place for colleges, universities, and common schools to provide information on student progress from level to level. The survey found that only 23 states have such a feedback system in place.

Developments in technology mean that there is always a new gadget for us to try, but our fall 1994 authors remind us that a central key to success is not co forget the basics-answer your mail, do your homework, know your customer, don't make assumptions, and-above all-communicate.

GEORGEANNE B. PoRTER

Editor

Colltgt and Uniwrfil] (USPS 121460) is publi1hcd (Fall, Wino:r, Summer) by 1hc Ameria1n Amici:uion of Collc~te Rcgi.uan and Admissions Offia:n, One: Duponr Circle, NW, Suite 330, Wuhingwn, DC ZOll.16-1171. The 1nn112l index appears in 1he Fall iuuc. The exist of the publication i1 included in the membcnhip fcc:s. U.S. nonmember subscription mes arc $30 for one year, SSS for rwo years, and S7 S for three years; foreign nonmember sublcription 1111cs are $40, $70, and $90, n::spcaivcly.

FALL 1994 3

The standard procedure of doing research before making strategy and promotion decisions is accepted more in theory than in praccice in higher education. Many admissions offices have a marketing plan for promotion of the institution, and decisions and strategies for new program develop­ment or institutional positioning, but few of these plans have developed as a result of significant market research.

The reason is simple. The idea of conduccing market research sounds overwhelming: Where to find the time, resources, and expertise to get it? An­other problem with market research is the "trade secret" syndrome. Very lit­tle informacion has been published about how an institution designs and conducts meaningful market research, and it is difficult for colleges co obtain research instruments and results from each other because higher education institutions that use market research

are often unwilling to share their meth­odology.

Given these circumstances, it is not surprising that much of the market re­search conducted is of poor qualicy. Too often the results lead only to reac­tions such as "this is interesting." The results do not provide useful informa­tion that can lead to actions or at least co the confidence to persist in certain programs or practices. Research that does not translate into meaningful pro­grams or practices is probably not worth the time or effort.

We should also acknowledge those critics who say that doing market re­search for academic marketing won't work because everyone is doing ir. Al­most all enterprises, from computer companies to hospitals, are subject to the constraints of the marketplace. Some college or universicy will be per­ceived as first or better, providing more benefits than those offered by its com-

• The idea of

conducting

market research

sounds

overwhelming:

Where to find

the time,

resources,

and expertise

to get it?

•

FAL L 1994 5

> What are the plans of students who are admitted co UNC-CH but do not attend?

> To how many colleges do freshmen apply and by how many are they accepted? Also, how many of these colleges do they visit?

> Of freshman students admitted to UNC-CH, what are their percep­tions of UNC-CH when compared to six competitive institutions?

> When do applicants make their fi­nal admission decisions?

Format

The survey included five sections. In the interest of sharing some "trade secrets" of market research, I have in­cluded in chis article a copy of our en­tire survey/questionnaire format (Fig­ure 1). Pert One: A Likert scale (which pro­

vides responses on a scale of 1-5) measuring the factors that influence students to apply and to enroll at UNC-CH. Nonenrolling students were also asked to indicate in open­ended narrative scyle why they did not enroll at UNC-CH.

Pert Two: A Likert scale rating the UNC-CH recruiting activities and programs.

Pert Three: A Likert scale rating UNC-CH admissions publications.

Pert Four. A question to determine when students decide to enroll at UNC-CH.

Pert Five: A multidimensional scal­ing chart on which students rate UNC-CH on a number of market scructure factors in relationship to six primary competitor institutions. This market research project was a

joint effort of the Office of Under­graduate Admissions and the Office of Institutional Research. We used a mailed questionnaire approach fol­lowed in cwo weeks by a second mail-

ing to nonrespondents. Overall, we had a 54.2% response rate. We used a ran­dom sampling technique in develop­ing our respondent group.

Executive Summary

Below is the executive summary of the survey results. The summary points out some of the perceived strengths and problems of the univer­sity.

This report represents a joint effort by the Admissions Office and Institutional Research to learn more about how the Uni­versity is perceived by the young men and women who ap­ply and are accepted to Carolina. The results of this survey show that overall UNC-CH is rated positively in most areas by appli­cants. It also points to some fac­tors where perceptions are somewhat negative or are not having the intended impact.

UNC-CH received particu­larly good ratings on such items as location and setting, academic reputation, cost, range of extra­curricular activities, compeci­tive/selcccive admissions, indi­vidual campus visits, tours of the campus sponsored by the Ad­missions Office, and the View­book. UNC-CH also did very well when it was compared to the six institutions with which it competes most heavily for appli­cants. UNC-CH was the cop rated school on six of the eleven statements in the comparison: 1) social environment is conducive to growth; 2) cost of institucion is reasonable; 3) academic pro­grams that interest me are avail­able; 4) campus is very attrac­tive; 5) location is very attrac-

• Effective

marketing

research is well

worth the effort

and can be

accomplished

with minimal

cost and a

manageable

amount of time

using the

resources

available at any

college or

university.

•

F ALL 1994 7

terviews, and all of our contacts with prospective students, parents, guid­ance counselors, alumni, and the general public.

>- Our publications were rated quite high with the exception of a course­listing booklet, which was intended to provide a minicourse catalog to prospective students. We have eliminated this piece and used the budget savings to further improve the quality of existing admissions publications.

>- In response to results clearly point­ing out the unusual importance of visiting the campus in the decision to enroll at UNCCH, we have in­stituted a series of campus visitation "yield days" for admitted students in the late winter and early spring months. At the same time we have cut back in our sponsorship of spring field-based area reception programs held in various cities. Those receptions that clearly were not effective were eliminated. The campus visitation days are addition­ally important since the research points out that the majority of stu­dents do not make their enrollment decision until March and April.

>- Students felt we were lace or slow in our admission and financial aid de­cisions. As a result of this perception we instituted rolling admission de­cision notifications at UNC-CH. Our Financial Aid Office has also attempted to provide earlier notifi­cations of need-based financial aid. These are examples of action re-

search. Of course, some of the results have given us the confidence to con­tinue programs and efforts that are per­ceived in a positive way.

We have determined to repeat this market research effort every two years, with little change in the questionnaire itself. This will enable us to establish benchmarks for biannual comparisons. It will also enable us to test the effect of our changes and initiatives and monitor changes in students' percep­tions of the University.

The cost of this program was $800. We developed, printed, and mailed the questionnaire in-house. We loaded the data in a computer, and our colleagues in the Office oflnstitutional Research developed the statistical package for treatment of the data. The two offices together wrote the description and summary of the research.

SUMMARY

Our experience at UNC-CH is that any college admissions office can do this kind of effective and practical mar­ket research; it requires a surprisingly small amount of time, effort, and money. Most admissions offices will need some assistance with the statisti­cal analysis portion of the project. In reality, it is the fear of jumping in and doing the first survey that stops many institutions. The effort, however, is worthwhile because a market survey will provide your institution with the needed benchmarks of students' per­ceptions-What are you doing well? What aren't you doing well?-that can, indeed, improve your outreach to your public. Not only can market research lead to more applications and higher yield, but it can also lead to better matches between the scudent and the college best suited co his or her needs and talents.

• Not only can

market research

lead to more

applications and

higher yield, but

it can a/,so lead

to better

matches between

the student and

the college best

suited to his or

her needs and

talents.

FALL 1994 9

FIGURE 1. UNDERGRADUATEADMISSIDNS SURVEY (continued)

Part I. A number of fai:ton inOllCDce a lllldent'• decilion IO apply IO a colteiie or Wlivcnliy. We are lateraled I• whal lnn11C11Ce Ille felle.tnc factors ll1d oa your ded1I•• to •pply to UNC-CH. Please circle the lll'Jlf'Ol'rill number for each factor. If you did not consider• particular factor, please clleck tile NA (not applicable) column to tile ripl or Ille scales.

Vuy S.mtwbl Na s. ....... , Vuy Ra111t• Pa1ltb1 Pt1ldn r.nu.. .. No11tlw Ntpll" NA

I. l..oatlon Ind Senla1 l 4 s l . Parenll 1 4

) . DllWll:e ar the Ualvcrtlty fiom my Home ) 4

4. A Wide RanpofEAtncurricular Acllvllla ) 4

s. Campus Raideace HallJ 4

6. Rcpullltloa or Alhlcllc Proaram• 4

1. SW: of En11>Uma11 l 4

•• SlzeofdieClulct 2 4

9. i\Qdcml< RepullldDD l 4 s 10. Cose l 4

11 . Rclallvc or AJUlllDI who AllcDdcd l 4

11. C..pus Vbib 1 4

13. Talk witb AdmlsaiDDI Rcpac2illldvc 2 4

14. Academic ProllllUll or Specific Major 2 4

IS. Your lllsb Scbool CoU111Clor l ) 4

16. Information abour a Spcclli• Ac:ademl• Dcpanmeot 1 ) 4

17. Clm:nc IJNC.Cll Students 2 4

II. llip School Ta.cbcr 2 4

19. Coll•&• Compariaoa Guida (E&., Banoti'a, l'<kno11'11 l l 4

10. N....,JllPC', Radio, and T .V. Reports l 4

11. Attcndill1 a Solllhcm Ualvcnlty 4

22. Compctltlvc/Sel..Uvc Admiulons 4

lJ. CDlllacl wilh Aoademlc or Alllldlc Summer Programs SpoDSOred by lbc Vlfious Iltpartmeoll on caaipus 1 4

14.0lher 1 4

•Ptcuc ao back to Part I oa4 indlcalo ID the apace DD tlie left mlll)lll the lbree mosc lmpotWll !Ulom for """inl lo UNc.at PlaM nmk tllcm fiom I to ), witll I being moll lmpotUDL

W1 1111 lnlernrtd 111 bowlo1 1boul aay olb1r .. 01ld1nll1u you may llavo llad "boll )'•D cll011 lo emroll al tJNCCB. Plcue iDdlc:ala tllcm below.

Part II. 1'leOA nla Ibo tlarll)' aad ... , oCutt d Iii• iw. publlcalleu i..11,. by tlreU111 Iii• appreprl1t. 011mber.

Vtl')' Easy fairly Easy A .. ,.... Falrly Bard v.-, Bar.I

I . Applic:alloll I l l -' S 2. Appllcalloll Booklet (Vicwbo<>t) I 2 3 -'

FALL 1994 11

.,., > r r ,., ,., ... -~

Part VI. Wbai did you make your rmaJ docisloo lo emoll •I IJNC-CH7

Monlb _____ _ Year ____ _

Part VII. lbac are leYCll colleges aad Ullivcnities lilled ill Pan A oflhe uble below For lh• Ont 1hallfll ll•a1, "Admlllt.i", ID Patt A, pin•• put • Y for Yn, N for No, or NA If you di• aot apply, for Hth 1thool U1tod. For the tetoDd lt•m, "Visited", Pt .... pul a Y for y., or aa N for No. ff you an familiar with aayoftht la11ltulloD1 ll1ttd In thotal>lo, pl .. Mnle them on.nth of the 1111 .... eatt ll1ttd ID Patt B accordlDI to the 1taloprHtde4. If you 1n uafamlllll'with an ln1t1Mloa.. plnse leave !bat celuma blank.

- -- ~--- ---ABC

Uni~IV

Admlllcd y

~lsllcd y 'Slmrul Academic a-•lalioo ]

Univcniry or AppoJachiaa Dul:• Wucfun:st

PattA: UNC-Cll N.C. Stal• Davic!Joa Viuioia State Umvcnitv UmvenilV Adm.ittedlY•Yes. N•No or NA y

Vwlcd('(•Yes. N•No neu.-1 .. ,.... ,, '11•• 1o n .. , ... __ _, KALE I- SlrHclJ Apoo Z- Acree Sllt:hlly 3- N••tnl 4- Dl11poo Sllptly S- Stroacly Dtuptt

PlrtB:

Audcmic Repu1a1ioo i1 Slll>llt

Qu.ilily of faculty is Vay lligll

Socw Enviroameol Is Conducive 10 GroWlb

Campus is Vay Annctift

Localion Is Vay Atvac1ift

Student Body 11 Di ......

Coll oflmlilulioa is Reasaooble

Siu of lhc lnsliMion is Altlxlive to Mc

Academic Propams thal IDterest Me are Available

Pub!icalium are Anr:actlve md IDformalive

Admissloo is Scla:tlve/Compctitift

FllllllCW Aid Pockogc is Adaq1111e

llousiaa Oppommiries are Appealillt

IDCtRolleaiole Athletic l'rolll'lllU llld Facilities 1D1erea1 Me

f&<Ulty Teacbiaa Reputation is Vay Hip

lmprased wilb Own!! Treatment u Prospective Student

Vay Prompr Replies lo My R<qllClla for IDformaUoo

c i§ ~ C)

g c

~ > ICll

~ii' 2! $ !ill "' Cf> .... en • c ::D c: !:!

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Education in 1991 (Survey on Retention at Higher Education Institutions 1991), the best single prediccor of student re­tention is admissions selectivity. Uni­versities with the highest admissions standards also tend to have the highest retention rates. It makes logical sense that better prepared students are likely co get better grades and are less likely to drop out than others who are not as well prepared

Where does chat leave institutions, such as Indiana Seate University, that have open or moderately selective ad­missions requirements and a mission co serve first-generation college stu­dents who may not have had the paren­tal guidance to be as well prepared for college as their peers? Since these in­stitutions are unlikely to be able to make substantial changes in their en­trance requirements without changing their institutional missions, they must either accept a lower retention rate or attempt to improve it through the de­velopment of policies and practices es­pecially designed to serve the students they admit. The first seep in develop­ing such policies and practices is co gain a clearer understanding of the aca­demic background and aspirations of their students. For Indiana State it means learning more about first-genera­tion students, who make up more than a third of each year's entering class.

Relatively little has been written about the special academic and per­sonal characteristics of first-generation college students in the United States and how these characteristics affect their success in college. In their longi­tudinal study of nearly 25,000 eighth graders, Lee and Peng (1992) found that students with parents who had not earned a high school diploma were five times more likely co drop out of high school by the tench grade than their peers. Although no similar compre­hensive longitudinal study has been

conducted on college freshmen, sev­eral writers (Gruca 1989, Hudson 1991, Staats 1991, and Bowman and York­Anderson 1991) have discussed the in­fluence of parental education and in­come on the college experience of their children.

Gruca (1989) found that parental possession of a college degree led co higher family incomes, higher educa­tional attainments, and the choice of more selective colleges by their chil­dren. Bowman and York-Anderson (1991) held that second-generation college students perceived stronger family support for attending college than their first-generation peers.

While Hudson (1991) and Staats ( 1991) agree on the long-term influ­ence of parental education, they point to academic preparation and degree as­pirations as having greater influence on the retention of students in the first year. Hudson's study revealed that first-year performance was related strongly co academic preparation, but persistence co graduation was influ­enced more strongly by family and friends. Staats found chat intent co get a degree in four years was actually negatively related to first-year reten­tion, while broad intent to get a degree was a positive influence, cogether with family and friends, on persistence to graduation.

SAT scores are also strongly related to parental educational levels. A recent national SAT profile shows that the higher the academic degree earned by parents, the higher the test scores of their children (The College Board 1992). It is interesting to note that there is a similar correlation between family income and test scores. Those with the highest SAT scores are from families with the highest incomes and parental degree attainments.

As noted above, admissions re­quirements have a strong effect on re-

• First-generation

college students

do not have the

benefit of

parental

experience to

guide them,

either in

preparing for

college or in

helping them

understand

what will be

expected of them

after they enroll.

•

F ALL 1994 15

and 19 on the Student Information Questionnaire, which ask for the high­est educational level for each parent. Of the 2, 190 subjects in the sample, 774 indicated that neither parent had attended college.

The Student Information Ques­tionnaire included 115 questions grouped in the following five catego­ries: general information, family back­ground, secondary school background, choice of college, and college plans. Using a static group comparison de­sign, the study compared the re­sponses of the two groups, first-genera­tion students and all ochers, to the fol­lowing questions: "What is the highest academic degree chat you intend co attain? (Mark only one.)" and "Using a 4-point scale (4•A. 3=B, 2=C, l=D, o .. F), indicate what you predict will be your overall grade point average for your first semester." High school class rank, grade point average, and SAT scores were compared, based on data obtained from official high school tran­scripts.

Academic performance in the first year was measured by comparing the numbers of first-semester dropouts, first-semester grade point averages, and the numbers of chose returning for the second year.

Group differences in mean cesc scores, grade point averages, and class ranks were analyzed through the use of two-tailed, pooled r-cests. Chi-square analysis was used co compare che fre­quencies of self-predicted grades, aca­demic degree aspirations, first-semes­ter dropouts, and second-year return rates of the two groups.

RESULTS

Five of the six null hypotheses were rejected. Table IA shows the differ­ences in the means of SAT scores, grade point averages, and class ranks

between first-generation students and ocher freshmen. Table 2A shows the level of significance in these differ­ences by /-test analysis. Firsc-genera­cion students had significantly lower SAT scores and high school and first­semescer college grades. There was no significant difference found in che mean high school class ranks of che two groups.

TABLE 1A. MEANS OF GROUPS

Am Generation

x s

SAT 791 154

HS GPA 2.68 .48

HS Class Rank 59.96 20.S

tsl Semester GPA 2.34 .96

TABLE 2A.

OlhBni

x 840

2.73

60.19

2.45

STATISTICAL TEST FOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS

SAT 6.29

HS GPA 2.04

HS Class Rank 0.23

1st Semester GPA 6.99

Table tB shows che differences in the responses of the two groups co the questions on self-predicted firsc-se­mescer grades, academic degree aspi­rations, first-semester dropouts, and second-year return rates. Table 2B shows the chi-square analyses of these differences. As shown, first-generation students had significantly lower grade poinc average expectations, lower aca­demic degree aspirations, a higher fre­quency of first-semester dropouts, and a lower second-year return rate.

di

1763

1952

1995

2026

157

.54

22.4

.95

slg.

<.01

<.05

>.05

<.01

FALL 1994 17

class absenteeism or low grades on as­signments and tests, to enable advisors to identify high risk students and to provide special assistance. Program in­itiatives in the residence halls and stu­dent activities could be designed to ensure that first-generation students have the opportunity to form social re­lationships that are supportive of the personal values and survival skills nec­essary to make a successful transition from high school to college. Another productive approach could be to de­velop a systematic way of communicat­ing with parents, such as orientation sessions and regular newsletters, that would help them gain a clearer under­scanding of the benefits of a college education and the important role par­ents can play in a student's success.

Perhaps most important of all in a university's response co the needs of first-generation students could be co help the faculty understand the special challenges facing these students. Fac­ulty development programs could in­corporate training in instructional and motivational strategies that would help these students be successful in the classroom without compromising aca­demic standards.

Are there differences in the aca­demic preparation and college success of first-generation students by gender, by family income, by ethnicicy, or by size of their high schools? Future stud­ies could help answer those questions and others of interest to universities with large populations of first-genera­tion scudcncs. Programming designed to serve the special needs of this group could pay off, not only in better reten­tion, but in a better academic experi­ence for chose whose success is critical co the expansion of educational and economic opportunity in this councry.

REFERENCES Bowman, S.L., and D.C. York-Anderson.

1991. Assessing the college knowledge of first-generation and second-genera­tion college students. Journal of Coll~ S1udm1 Dtvelopmml 32(2): 116-122.

College Board, The. 1992. Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers-Na­tional Report.

Gruca, J.M. ct al. 1989. Intergenerational Effects of Parents' College Graduation: Comparative Path Analyses for Four Ra­cial~cndcr Groups. San Francisco, CA: American Educational Research Asso­ciation Meeting, March 27-31, 1989. (ERIC Document Reproduction Serv­ice No. ED 309 688).

Hudson, J.B. 1991. The Long Term Per­fonnancc and Retention of Preparawry Division Transfer Students: 1983-1990. (ERIC Document Reproduction Serv­ice No. ED334918~

Lee, R.M., and S.S. Peng. 1992. Measuring Student At-Riskncss by Demographic Characteristics. San Francisco, CA: American Educational Research Asso­ciation Meeting, April 20-24, 1992. (ERIC Document Reproduction Serv­ice No. ED 347 679~

MacDcrmott, K.G. ct al. 1987. The influ· encc of parental education level on col­lege choice. Journal ofCol/tgt Admission (115): 3-10.

Staats, S. et al 1991. Intent to Gee a Degree, Expectations, and Attitude Change. Daywn, OH: Wright Seate University, 1991. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 344 525).

United States Department of Education. 1991. Survey on Retention at Higher Education lnstirutions. Surveys Report No. 14, November 1991.

• Programming

designed to

serve the special

needs of this

group could pay

off, not only in

better retention,

but in a better

academic

experience for

those whose

success is

critical to the

expansion of

educational and

economic

opportunity in

this country.

•

FALL 1994 19

actually transpires during che admis­sion interview?

Our institution has cradicionally sought co accracc srudencs who possess academic credentials which indicate they would perform well in the basic science and clinical curriculum. In ad­dition, however, we have agreed with McGaghie (1990) that personal quali­ties, character traits, life experience, and adaptive capacities are all associ­ated with effective professional life and work. We have endeavored to learn about these noncognicive factors during the course of the admission in­terview. Interviews at our institution are open file and semiscruccured in that we ask interviewers co complete a scandard form immediately following each of cwo 40-minuce interviews. The interviewers provide open-ended comments on each candidate's experi­ence and knowledge of the profession; source of motivation; interpersonal be­havior or manner; responsibility and commitmenc; and educational, eco­nomic, and social background. Al­though interviewers receive no formal craining, the need to complete the form provides some uniformity across interviews. However, interviewers have considerable latitude as to how they gather the information necessary co record their impressions.

This study is an attempt to establish whether background and experience in interviewing candidates for medical school admission influence the admis­sion interview process. We sought to determine interviewers' perceptions of che purpose of the admission inter­view and co outline attributes of the candidates that the interview should attempt to assess.

METHODS

T he study was designed as a quali­tative investigation of the conduct and

content of the medical school inter­view from the perspective of the inter­viewer. In-depth, semiscruccured in­terviews were conducted by the pri­mary author with 10 informants (Tay­lor and Bogdan 1984). Probe questions in each interview included: profes­sional background of the informant; experience with the admission proc­ess; philosophy regarding the admis­sion interview; conduce of the inter­view; characteristics of competitive and noncompetitive applicants; and noncognicive variables assessed during the interview.

The selection of 10 informants for this study was guided by purposeful sampling (Glaser and Straus 1967). Study informants were selected to ap­proximate the gender distribution of faculty and scudencs and to represent a range in professional background, ex­perience with the admission process, and years of membership on the admis­sion committee. During the 1992-93 application year coinciding with the study period, 522 interviews were con­ducted by the 13-member admission committee and 38 ad hoc interviewers. The pool of interviewers from which informants were selected was com­prised of 88% males; 49% M.D.s, 35% Ph.D.s, 4% medical students, 12% ad­ministrators and lay persons; and 27% interviewers who were currendy mem­bers of the admission committee. Across the total pool of interviewers, experience with the interview process varied (range • 1 to 25 years). Ten informants were selected to participate in this study: 7 men and 3 women; 6 faculty members (3 M.D.s and 3 Ph.D.s), 2 scudents, and 2 administra­tors; and 3 current and 3 former admis­sion committee members, and 4 non­members. Three of the informants (2 faculty and 1 student) had no prior experience interviewing med ical school applicants. T he informants rep-

• Given that

medical schools

have largely

failed to

standardize the

admission

interview

within their

institutions. it

follows that

there will be

variance in the

conduct and

content of

interviews

across

interviewers.

•

FALL 1994 21

Having completed information gathering, informancs moved to verifi­cation, the second part of the inter­view, and asked about the applicants' family, personal background, interests, and education. Because application files are available for review prior to the interview, the majority of informants linked this part of the interview to their examination of the application materi­als. Informants who reviewed files looked for incongruities becween data in the application and information ob­tained during the interview.

During the final segment of the in­terview, informants reserved time co allow the applicants to ask questions and recruit the applicant to the institu­tion. To document their impressions of candidates for admission, interviewers were expected co complete a standard interview form. Experienced inform­ants differed among themselves as co how they used the interview form. Some spent time during the interview asking the applicants questions di­rectly from the interview form. Others completed the form after the inter­view, using information they recalled that applicants had revealed about themselves.

Given that our institution has noc specified an extended listing of non­cognitive attributes all candidates for admission should possess, the inform­ants were asked whether they had a personally defined standard to which they compared each applicant. Five informants admitted to having no par­ticular preconception; three claimed to compare each applicant to their per­sonal image of the ideal physician. While not having a defined standard, the other rwo informants listed desir­able attribuces they looked for in all applicants including persistence and intellectual curiosity. In describing ad­ditional characteristics of the applicant who came across as highly competitive

and desirable during the interview, the informant group listed a broad range of attributes including enthusiasm, disci­pline, desire to help ochers, interest in medicine, flexibility, intelligence, mo­tivation, genuineness, compassion, friendliness, breadth of educational background, multicultural exposure, communication ability, problem solv­ing ability, insight, awareness of factors affecting the medical profession, work ethic, assertiveness, and proven ability to excel in some area.

Informants then described charac­teristics of the applicants who came across as unsatisfactory during the in­terview. Descripcors of such candi­dates included: incompetent, overcon­fident and/or lacking confidence, arro­gant, superficial, and egocentric. In­formants also were concerned about applicants who had not adequately ex­plored the field of medicine, had never considered the negative side of medi­cine, and lacked the capacity to work effectively in a medical setting.

Informants were asked whether they believed noncognitive variables could actually be assessed during the interview. While the majority of in­formants believed that it was difficult co measure an applicant's noncognitive attribuces accurately, all agreed it was possible to "get a sense" of particular personal characteristics. For example, nearly all informants agreed the inter­view setting provided a good opportu­nity to assess the applicant's ability co relate to others. This attribute was de­fined as "people skills," "friendli­ness," "interpersonal skills," "commu­nication skills," and "social skills." Other attributes some informants thought they could "gee a sense" of during the interview were maturity, compassion, honesty, self-discipline, and confidence. The informant group outlined a core of attributes they thought could be, or should be, as­<Wii•J,,,,""' 16

• Informants•

exposures to and

experiences with

the interview

process were

associated with

their perceptions

of the purpose of

the admission

interview.

•

FALL 1994 23

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48 F ALL 1994

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TABLE 1. ADMISSION INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ASSESSING DESIRABLE NDNCOGNITIVEATTRIBUTES OF APPLICANTS TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

Alllllty 10 lnleracl In a Group Caring tor Others ~~~~~~~~-

What worl< experiences have they had? Have they participated lo team sports?

How have they spent their tree time? What kind of wort. and volunteer experiences have they had?

Whal extracurricular experiences did they take part In during college? How Involved have lhey been In community activities? How do they interact during the Interview? Whal relationshlps haV!! been important to them?

Commitment to Medicine ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why did they selet1 medicine? How have they explored the profession?

Have they explored other careers? Whal actions have they taken which provide evidence or commitment to the field?

Whal fs their perception of the necessary time commitment which medical students and p/1'/Slcians must devote lo their profession? What do they think about the future of health care?

~~~~~~~~-ln_1e_ne_c_tua1_c_ur1_o_sl~ty~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~M_a_tu_nt~y--~~~~~~~~-What has been their favorite course? How have they coped with crisis?

What types of research experiences have they had? How have they handled life events? How have they pursued subject matter beyond basic course requirements? How do they structure their lime and discipline themselves? What courses have they wanted to take, but haven't had the opportunity? How prepared are they for the Interview?

What type of questions do they asl< during the Interview? How did they get to where they are today?

Motivation Self Reliance

Have they overcome hardships? How did they do In conege? Have they set objectives tor themselves during their life? Did they support lhemselV!!s In school?

What have they atcomplished over the past 10 years? What has led lo their decision to become a physician? Ord they consider other careers before deciding upao medicine? How do they cope with failure?

What wiN they do ii they don't get into med cal school? What are their future goals and what is their basis !or setting these goals?

ever, we suspect that talking with in­fonnants at other insticutions with a loosely structured interview process would reveal consistencies in the themes shared.

The study findings have two imme­diate applications. First, both experi­enced and inexperienced interviewers can benefit from examining the con­duct and content of their interviews. Formal training programs for inter­viewers can be devised using discus­sions of the purpose of the interview and review of the core noncognitive attributes of candidates which were elicited from the informants. Second, future research can be framed by seek­ing answers to questions which arose as a result of this study- To what extent

do interviewers agree in both the cype of written comments made about can­didates for admissions and in their as­signment of interview ratings? What factors account for differences? To what extent do interviewers judge can. didaces on the identified core noncog­nitive amibutes? What is the predic­tive validity of assessments made of the noncognitive attributes?

REFERENCES

Edwards, J.C., E.K. Johnson, Md J.B. Moli­dor. 1990. The interview in the admis­sion process. Acadnnic Medicine 65(3): 167-177.

Glaser, B., and A. Suaus. 1967. Tiie DistuCJtry of Grounded Tktory. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.

Johnson, E.K.,andJ.C. Edwnrds.1991.Cur­rent practices in admission interviews at U.S. medical schools. Academic Aftdicine 66(7): 408412.

McGaghie, W.C. 1990. Qualitative vari­ables in medical school admission. Aca· tlmzicA/Hiicine65(3): 145-149.

Puryear, J.B., and L.A. Lewis. 1981. De­scription of the interview process in se­lecting students for admission to U.S. medical schools. Journal of Mediml Edu­cation 56(11): 881-885.

Taylor, S.J., and R. Bogdan. 1984. /ntroduc­lion to Qualitatir.Jt &rearm Methods- T/Jt Stardt/or Aftaning.r, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

F ALL 199'4 27

BACKGROUND

The focus of research in che area of college choice included boch the stu­dent end of che process (information needs in che process, how choices are made, and student impressions) and the impression management and mar­keting from the college or university point of view. Many theorists have pro­posed models to show how this is done (Hossler 1989). Hossler describes a three-stage process model: predisposi­tion, search, and choice. Research has been done on the predisposition and choice stages. However, "lictle atten­tion has been given to the search stage of student college choice" (p. 262). Studies in this area could help admis­sions officers understand what stu­dents need from various information sources to make sound decisions about college.

Research has demonstrated a differ­ence in the information needs of high school students according to their grade level (Hossler 1989). This infor­mation is critical for colleges and uni­versities developing marketing publi­cations that seek co answer the appro­priate questions for different students. In addition, since the fit between stu­dent and college is closely linked with attrition, it is critical that colleges help scudents make appropriate choices.

Canterbury (1989) analyzed 123 un­solicited college mailings that his daughter received as a junior in high school. From the glossy, four-color bro­chures of campuses, Canterbury con­cluded thac few of the publications fo­cused on information a student and her family needed to make a decision, spe­cifically, what made the university dis­tinct from ochers.

Esteban and Apel (1992) examined the admissions process of educational insticucions from a marketing perspec-

tive. They sent letters of inquiry co 330 public and private universities and monitored the responses co determine whether the institutions "heed(ed) the marketing imperative of seeing them­selves through their prospects' eyes" (p. 22). From their analyses they were able to create "recipes" describing how most viewbooks and letters from universities were developed.

There are many difficulties when it comes to marketing a university; "compared with many goods that can offer all kinds of tangible benefits, a four-year education at a panicular in­stitution is harder co quantify and in many respects intangible" (Esteban and Apel 1992, p. 27). Admissions mar­keting experts have developed strate­gies that draw heavily on constructs developed in the "service marketing" Ii terature. Shostak (1984) suggests that intangible produces or services need co be marketed by highlighting and "building a case from tangible evi­dence" (p. 257). If education is consid­ered an intangible service, college and university admissions offices can adopt Shostak's recommendations for creat­ing a "real" produce from the intangi­ble service offered by the university.

PROJECT DESIGN

Letters of inquiry were sent to four Midwestern research universities that belong to a well-known academic and athletic conference. These universi­ties were chosen for the study for sev­eral reasons. In addition to the re­searcher's experience and familiarity with research universities, the demo­graphic information about college en­rollments raised a concern for large public universities, although noc to the excent that smaller, less recognized schools face. How are these universi­ties reacting to the possibility of de­clining enrollments? Is this evident

• If education is

considered an

intangible

service. colleges

and university

admissions

offices can adopt

Shostak's

recommendations

for creating a

"real" product

from the

intangible

service offered

by the university.

•

FALL 1994 29

1989, p. 11) and that few letters "even acknowledge they're speaking to an individual" (Esteban and Apel 1992, p. 24 ). How well do these selected large universities respond to individual in­quiries?

Pricing. "The net cost of attending an institution is one of the most impor­tant determinants of where scudents go to school" (Hossler and Bean 1990, p. J JS). With economic concerns and rising costs of postsecondary educa­tion, pricing is a crucial aspect of mar­keting to examine. It is difficult to place a monetary value on education as a product because of its intangible na­ture (Litten 1986). Evidence, such as that obtained from admission materi­als, therefore, plays an important part in justifying cost. Thus the question: How do the universities present pric­ing and financial aid information?

Image vs. Evidena. Shostak (1984) presents a framework for product and service marketing that distinguishes between the tangible and intangible qualities of what is being marketed Since education is an intangible entity, Shostak suggests that marketing needs to focus on the tangible evidence asso­ciated with education. Esteban and Apel (1992) also suggest that students make decisions based primarily on in­tangible impressions and perceptions. Admissions materials must make the institution they represent seem tangi­ble and believable. How do these uni­versities manage this through their publications?

Segmentation. Segmentation is typi­cal of marketing studies and advertis­ing campaigns. Litten (1986) suggests that this is important for pricing and financial aid policies as well. What audiences do the publications address? Can one determine whether the insti­tution is sensitive to and understands the concerns of groups such as minority scudents and nontraditional scudents?

TABLE 1. SAMPLE INQUIRY lmERS

FRESHMAN:

Hi! I am a freshman in high school, but my counselor said that n·s a good time to start looking at colleges.

I would like to be put an your mailing list. Do you have special thinos for students to visit the campus? Please send something with pictures so I can see what the campus looks like.

And II yoo have a list of classes I should take before I graduate.

SOPHOMORE:

My name Is Paula Wagoner. t am a sophomore in high school and am wrmng for information about your school.

Please send me whatever you have that tells about tuition. admission, the campus, sports, activities and clubs.

My address is 417 N. Indiana, Bloomington, IN 47 408.

JUHi Oft:

Hello. I am a junior in high school. t plan to major in Anthropology and women's studies. Do you have brochures about those majors?

I am writing to request an application and a catalog that tells about the classes you otter. Please send an application for tinancial aid and scholarships as well. I am a pretty goad student.

Also. how do I set up a visit? If I can't came, do you have a video?

SENIOR:

Dear Director of Admissions, I am a senior in high school and would like Information about River University. Can you send me anything you have that would help me decide ii t should apply to your school? I am

interested In engineering, but I don't know what kind yet. Thank you far your help.

Timeliness

One of the most common elements in studying admissions marketing ef­forts is timeliness. This refers to the time that it takes a university co re­spond co a student's inquiry. The let­ters of inquiry were sent on November 7 and 8, 1991, and responses arrived between November 14, 1991, and February 20, 1992.

Plains University had the best re­sponse time to the leuers of inquiry. Within 11 days, four mailings had ar­rived, including two to the senior stu­dent. The junior received a viewbook on November 25, 1991, still within only two-and-one-half weeks. From that time through April, none of the

How well do

these selected

large

universities

respond to

individual

inquiries?

• F ALL 1994 31

Number of Mailings

2 ...;

0 Plains Univel)ily

In addition to a viewbook and application, the senior received a letter about engineering and a Bul­letin containing information about the College of Engineering. The packet of information for the junior included materials responding to her questions about financial aid, scholarships, and the Honors Divi­sion. The special attention may have been generated because the junior's letter indicated chat she was "a pretty good student." A let­ter also arrived with information about setting up campus visits and included a prepaid business reply envelope to use in response.

River U's material for the sopho­more never arrived. However, in February the River Student Gov­ernment sent the sophomore a let­ter indicating they were glad to

FIGURE 1. NUMBER OF MAILINGS

River Univel)ily Northern 'university

hear she was interested in student government. Since the sophomore name and address were apparently in the system, the initial response from Admissions may have been lost in the mail. The freshman re­ceived the same m aceria I as the jun­io r and senior, with a separate brochure about "River City High­lights" in response co her request for "something with pictures to see what the campus looks like."

Capitol University. Approximately two weeks after the letters were mailed, the freshman and sopho­more received identical form letters from Capitol. The names on the labels were printed backwards: "ANDERSON CAITLIN" and "WAGONER PAULA." The let­ters, addressed to "Prospective stu­dent," were signed by the director

MlooM Freshman - Sophomore - Junior - Senior

FALL 1994 33

Capitol University included a page tided "Your Costs and Ways to Meet Them" in the Information for NtfJIJ Stu­dents and Application publication in­cluding explanations of che deferred payment plan, financial aid proce­dures, and srudent employment op­portunities. Among the four institu­tions studied, Capitol provided the mostthorough "unbundling" offees(7 separate fees) and an extensive chart of expenses broken down by residency, per credit hour, quarter, and full year. Seventeen scholarship programs were also described.

The financial information for Northern University was hidden in very small print in the back of the Un­dergraduate Bulletin. The coses were presented for resident and nonresident students, as well as for "commuters living with parents." Fees and tuition were combined without indicating per credit hour costs, or what services were included in the "fees" portion. There was an indication of reciprocity for tui­tion purposes if a student was from a neighboring scate. Unique and original information included a list of typical hourly wages for on-campus employ­ment.

A picture of a blackboard was used by Plains University in all of its publi­cations co outline the costs for attend­ing the university. Tuition and fees were indicated for Plains campus resi­dents and nonresidents, with the only "unbundled" fee being the health service fee. Nowhere was a dollar amount per credit hour for tuition indi­cated. However, the text on a page tided "Expensive/Affordable" seated chat "the University president and the state Board of Regents declared a com­mitment co holding tuition increases . . . co the level of inflation .••. Plains will continue co offer the lowest tuition of the conference" (Tlris is Plains, p. 36). The Housing Assignments Office

• In higher

education, an

admissions

office has little

control over the

fees charged to

attend a

particular

institution.

However, it is

possible to

influence the

mannerin

which pricing

information is

presented to the

prospective

consumer, zn

this case, high

school students

and their

parents.

•

did extensively "unbundle" the ex­penses for housing: 18 different room type options, 3 board plans, and 3 rent­al rates for linens and refrigerators.

River University presented "Esti­mated Expenses" in the Application Booklet without any mention of fi­nances in the separate viewbook pub­lication. Educational and living ex­penses had been calculated for in-scate students either living with parents or in a residence hall. Forout-of-scate stu­dents, an amount was given to add to

the resident cost. Similar to Northern University, River U listed 3 states (in­cluding that of Northern U) and Man­itoba, Canada, in its reciprocity policy. In addition to reciprocity with the above mentioned states, it offered an interesting pricing strategy: "nonresi­dent students of color and disadvan­taged students who are in the top 25 percent of their high school class . .• are eligible co pay in-state tuition at [River University]."

Image vs. Evidence

Many high school students have an image in their minds of what it means to go to college or be a college student. These images develop from years of watching television and movies, as well as from the experiences of par­ents, teachers, and friends. However, the choice of a particular institution is based on more than these general im­pressions of college. Esteban and Apel (1992) suggest that "one of the essen­tial marketing challenges each school faces is to make a host of intangibles become tangible and believable" (p. 28). There are a variety of examples in which these four institutions studied have attempted to make concrete what it means "to be a student." This was done primarily through photographs and textual examples of the tangibility of higher education.

FALL 1994 35

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A Convenient WayTo Sponsor Students Who Need To Take The TOEFL Test.

The TOEFL Fee Voucher Service. For institu­tions and agencies that pay TOEFL (or TSE) fees for their students or applicants, it provides an easy way to sponsor promising students from all over the world. For the students themselves, it provides an opportunity to take the TOEFL test and possibly pursue their studies in the United States, Canada, or another English-speaking country.

The Fee Voucher Service works like this: Institutions that complete a request fonn

r----------------, Plc:asc send me: infonnallon about the: Fc:c: Voucher Service: and other TOEFL programs.

Name _______________ ~

Institution -----------------

Addn:~ ------------------------City _______ State __ Zip ------

Detach and mail to: TOEFL Progr.un Office: I P.O.Box6155 I e&U Fall-94 Princc:lon, NJ 08541-6155 USA

receive a specified quantity of precoded cards, valid for a period of one year. These cards are distributed by the institutions to students, who then use them to register for the TOEFL test. There is no fee for this service from TOEFL, and sponsoring institutions are invoiced only for those cards that are submit­ted in lieu of payment.

For more infonnation about the Fee Voucher Service or other TOEFL programs, return the coupon below.

- -

OFFICIAL TOEFL PROGRAMS FROM ~ EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE l{13J

EDUCATIONAL 'Jl!St1NG SERVICE, rn. the rn k'll'J. lUEFL oll4l 1he roen k>flO ~ rqd>len:d 1r;iJmwts u( &luatlunal Tc:>tlnll Snvke C 19112 &lucatkmal Tc:>tlnit S.,r<itt

STATE FEEDBACK SYSTEMS

STATE· WIDE PLANS TO INITIATE HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED STATE SYSTEM IN TYPE(S) HOW DATA REPORTED ARE USED STATEWIDE SYSTEM(Sl/fYPE(S) PLACE SYSTEM

Alabama no none JI/a no Z year to 4 year ----Alaska no none JI/a no none

Arizona yes 2 year to HS, 4 year to HS program evaluation, curriculum planning,

accountabllity

Arl<ansas yes 2 year to HS, 4 year to HS curriculum planning, accountability

Calilomla no none n/a yes 2 year to HS, 4 year to HS

Colorado yes 2 year to HS, 4 year to 2 program evaluat on, curriculum planning, year and HS accountability

Connecticut no none nla no none

Delaware no none n/a no none

District of Columbia no none nla no none

Florida yes 4 year to HS and 2 year, program evaluation, curriculum 2 year to HS and 4 year development, program development,

accountability

Georgia yes 4 year to HS and 2 year. program evaluatlon, curriculum 2 year to HS and 4 year development, accountability, program

development

Hawaii no none n/a no 4 year to HS, 2 year lo HS

Idaho no planned 4 year to 2 year. nla yes (1993) 4 year to 2 year 2 year to 4 year

Illinois yes 4 year lo HS and 2 year, curriculum planning, accountability 2 year to HS

Indiana yes 4 year to HS, 2 year to HS program evaluation and development

Iowa yes 4 year to HS and 2 year curriculum planning, program evaluation and development. accountability

Kansas no none nla under 4 year to HS and 2 year. discussion 2 year to HS

Kentucky yes 4 year lo HS. 2 year lo HS use unknown as yet

Louisiana yes 4 year to HS, 2 year to HS curriculum planning. accountability

Maine no none JI/a no none

Maryland yes 4 year to HS and 2 year, accountability, outcomes assessment 2 year to HS

Massachusetts yes (pilot) 4 year to HS use unknown

Michigan no none nta no 4 year to HS and 2 year, 2 year to HS and 4 year

Minnesota no none JI/a being 4 year to HS. 2 year to HS considered

by

legislature

Mississippi no none nla no 4 year lo HS 2 year to HS

FALL 1994 41

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