= Premium Content

  • Monday, May 28, 2012

Previous

Next

In Selecting a College, Academic Major Remains Top Factor for Students

July 12, 2011, 10:28 am

By Beckie Supiano

Nearly 63 percent of graduating seniors who have chosen a college to attend this fall are headed to their first choice, according to a new survey. Of those headed somewhere else, about 35 percent were not admitted to their top choice and 31 percent said they could not afford to go there.

These findings come from a spring followup to the 2011 College Decision Impact Survey conducted by Maguire Associates, an enrollment-management consulting firm, and Fastweb, a scholarship-search Web site.

More than 2,000 students who had participated in the original survey in January responded to the May follow-up, which asked detailed questions about students’ final enrollment decisions.

“In general, given that the economy is still shaky, and there’s a lot of uncertainty, we weren’t quite sure what to expect,” said Tara E. Scholder, a senior vice president with Maguire Associates and the lead researcher for the surveys.

But the findings ended up being consistent with what the groups’ surveys have shown over the last several years, Ms. Scholder said. Affordability remains a key factor in where students enroll, but the most-cited reason for their decision is the strength of their academic major. A similar breakdown of students favors public versus private colleges compared with previous years, and a similar mix ultimately enrolls in each.

Some students who say they favor a private college end up at a public one, and a smaller number prefer a public college and enroll in a private one. The students who wanted to attend a private college but enroll in a public one report having the most difficulty choosing where to go, Ms. Scholder said. They also are the most likely to say they did not enroll at their first-choice institution.

While many of the findings remain consistent with previous years, Ms. Scholder did point to one “perhaps beginning of a trend”—more students report being placed on one or more wait lists. In 2009, 20 percent of students were placed on wait lists, compared with 28 percent in 2011. That change is big enough to suggest that some colleges are changing their strategic use of wait lists, Ms. Scholder said.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

  • Print
  • Comment
  • william_barnett

    Ah, yes. The Catholic hierarchy seems to want to control what cannot be controlled. What’s next? An attempt to prohibit Prof. Johnson from teaching at Fordham University?

  • greeneyeshade

    I don’t think the bishops are ignorant of what happens when they censure a book, just as Christ wasn’t unaware that he was giving a boost to pubs through the ages by having a drink with the sinners of his time.

    I would think the bishops would still see it as their calling to counter error where they find it, particularly when it comes from a religious sister vowed to uphold the doctrines of the Church and teaching at a well-known Jesuit university. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised that the readers will be other theologians and otherwise faithful Catholics who want to read for themselves what the bishops have objected to.

    Godly rubbernecking, perhaps?

  • farmboy

    This book was used in a Divinity Class which I took at a Catholic University in the Southeast. The book was Great and It was made better by the creative teaching of the Professor who taught the class. I would encourage Catholics to read it. It sends a message that we all must hear.

  • creditto

    Has Prof. Johnson had the opportunity to defend her positions? As a Fordham alum, I would hope that the Jesuit community would support that. As to the bishops’ apparent late response to her book, it seems that they have been busy dealing with, and in some instances minimizing, the real “cancer” within the Catholic Church.

  • 11144703

    I don’t get it–a committee decides to write what is essentially a negatively critical book review. Then some people who don’t care for the committee / book reviewers decide to buy the book. So what else is new? Should the bishops muzzle their own freedom of speech? Where is the word “censure” used in the document? This is a snarky word with which to begin the article because censure sounds like censor. Indeed, Baird-Smith raises the specter of the U.S. bishops as censors when he uses the word “ban,” although the bishops merely criticize the book. Baird-Smith’s claim that “there was a threat to burn the book publicly” has all the veracity of a birther statement. Why didn’t Nina check these absurd quotes? This piece betrays CHE’s usually superlative journalistic standards.

    While Nina’s essay (disguised as journalism) is a poke in the eye of some Catholic bishops for the very act of expressing their opinion, Laurie Essig in a separate column in CHE agrees with murderers (and nonmurderers) who call for banning the desecration of the Koran. Go figure…

  • nina_ayoub

    There appears to be some confusion. The reference Mr. Baird-Smith made about a threat to burn a book was about a *previous* Continuum title, Woman at the Altar, not Quest for a Living God. That claim about Woman at the Altar was also made by that book’s author, Sister Lavinia Byrne. See, for example, among other sources:

    http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jan/15/local/me-54171

    To censure is not the same as to censor. To censure is to express emphatic disapproval, often in a formal statement. While there has been extensive discussion of the 21-page statement, I think it is safe to say the bishops disapprove of Sister Johnson’s book. I would urge readers to read the PDF linked to in the post. The report in itself is an interesting theological document, and definitely opens debate.

    Continuum’s Baird-Smith did indeed use the word “ban,” as did the New York Times in its article on the case http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/nyregion/31fordham.html?scp=1&sq=%22living%20god%22&st=cse , as was their choice. However to be clear, a spokesman for the bishops’ committee has stated it has no authority to mandate the book be removed from Catholic educational institutions.

  • 11144703

    Nina, I was indeed referring to Woman at the Altar (although I didn’t make it initially clear), where the references to “burning” is either made in a hazy passive voice or, as in your example, is self-reported by the author. I don’t buy it, and the journalist in you shouldn’t buy it without specific confirmation.

    Of course censure is different from censor, but the word censure (as you rightly suggest) is used in a formal sense by official bodies as Congress or a religious group. I was expecting to see the word in the bishops’ letter, but of course it wasn’t there. I agree the bishops expressed “emphatic disapproval,” and I wouldn’t have criticized the article so much if you had originally used that phraseology.

    So the bishops disapproved and sales went up–should they have kept silent in the face (in their view) of serious misperceptions of the book?

    I must say that even your use of the word “well” suggests a breezy style not appropriate to a serious topic.

    On a positive note: thank you for your last paragraph. Whoever wrote the term ”ban” in the New York Times article title is totally irresponsible in that paper of record. Moreover, I hope to read more of your articles in the future.

  • http://www.bloomsburyreview.com Webster

    In case the good Bishops haven’t noticed, perhaps they might want to spend a little more time on the pedophilia/child abuse scandal boiling up all around the country and take care of *that* little problem rather than wasting their time on nit-picking (and therefore promoting) a good, sensible, scholarly book.

    Or is this just another red-herring the Catholic Church is dragging across the path in its effort to deny the problem and the cover-up of Bishops’ complicity in the scandal by moving priests around the country one step ahead of the law?

  • vatican

    It’s always convenient to muzzle any bishop/priest who has an opinion that is different to yours with the child abuse scandals, isn’t it? If you haven’t noticed, child abuses happen more often in schools. This is not to mitigate those pathetic priests/bishops who committed those crimes. However, I’m always left wondering what the intention behind muzzling priests/bishops with “Oh you should clean up your backyard first” comment. Given that substantially more teachers happened to be perverts, does that mean that we shouldn’t trust our kids with teachers now? Where’s the consistency in people’s conscience?

  • http://www.bloomsburyreview.com Webster

    Lovely dissembling, “Vatican,” (appropriate nom de thread). Schools don’t have a tendency to move pedophile teachers around the country at the behest of the “Superintendent,” now do they? No, they remove them and prosecute them. Read the papers from Philadelphia lately? How many priests were just moved to another position where they had access to children? And it still would be going on if the government hadn’t stepped in to stop it.

    You want to go worldwide with this? Yeah. I think it’s fair to tell Bishops to clean up their own moral messes before they try to take a high moral stance. And there’s a consistency in wanting kids to be safe wherever the heck they are–and particularly in churches where the there’s undue faith and trust in “Fathers.” You really ought to be ashamed of yourself with your pathetic–”but other perverts do it–why pick on Priest perverts and the bishops and Archbishops that enabled child abuse?”

    Dame Edith Sitwell said it best, “I am patient with stupidity, but not with those who are proud of it.”

  • vatican

    “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” – Edmund Burke. To claim that people should clean up their moral messes is one thing. To insinuate everyone to be the same is another thing. That’s right – muzzle the bishops and priests because they disagree with you. You are right – I’m not ashamed of supporting upright priests and bishops.

  • balancement

    Vatican,

    I’m glad to see you’re not letting your education get in the way of your ignorance.

  • fizmath

    They have spent time and they have done a superb job, surpassing any other institution. Read about it here: http://www.standardnewswire.com/news/905976148.html

  • http://www.bloomsburyreview.com Webster

    The Catholic League? Really? Why don’t you just post the latest from the Westboro Baptist Church? They have just as much credibility.

    The Catholic League. HA!

  • old nassau’67

    Observation: According to http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2011/tables/11s0272.pdf,
    3,151,000 high school graduates (in 2008 – probably more now); 69% college enrolled (ditto, especially in a foundering economy) = 2,174,190 in college. The above conclusions are based on 2,000 students – less than 1 in 1,000. And how selected? I’d take these results with a shaker of salt.

  • sand6432

    Even soap operas are keeping up with the times: Christina, on General Hospital, was wait-listed by Yale!

  • mrmars

    Actually a more accurate reflection of the trend at the we-used-to-have-some-pretense-of-being-somewhat-selective small public university where I work would play out more like this:  Christina, who has a 700 cumulative SAT score, is not only accepted, but her parents are promised a 10% coupon for a small appliance at the local Walmart if she matriculates (ok, just kidding about the coupon).

  • jring61

    Christina’s parents may not get a Walmart coupon, but Christina probably got a financial aid package that might even include a scholarship.  While some students scramble to get into the “right” school, many colleges and universities actively recruit, and provide scholarships for, students who would not have been admitted a generation ago.  

  • cottontails

    I thought that geography was one of the largest factors in a student’s decision about where to apply to college, at least. Curious as to what role it plays in the ultimate decision about attendance.

  • DarwinWeeps

    I wonder what information these students use to assess “the strength of their academic major.”

  • peters137r

    I also wonder how many of those students have yet to decide what their major will be.

  • crababby

    Many of the replies here have raised good issues.  As counselors, our advice to students (and their parents) is to find a good fit.  This may involve the perceived strength of the academic major, but the commonly quoted (although elusive) stat is that the average college student will change majors two and a half times. Even if this stat is inflated, many students may still be choosing a college based on something that is likely to change, rather than finding an academic and social environment that provides the best mix of comfort and challenge — and therefore, the most likely place for satisfaction and success.  The dramatic increase in cost, but also in “merit awards,” has affected students’ college decisions. Many colleges are now routinely discounting their tuition by 50% or more — and not just to top students. I’m a high school counselor (and former college admissions officer), and I’m intrigued by how many families will pat themselves on the back over a $10,000 “scholarship” and end up paying $15,000 for a college where the average Educational & General expenditure per student is $12,000.  In essence, they are paying $15,000 for a $12,000 education and thinking that they got a great deal!   

  • sand6432

    Since Christina’s mother on the show is a  lawyer and her father a mobster, I doubt financial aid would have been a factor. It would be interesting to know how Sonny Corinthos would fill out a financial aid application listing his assets.

  • sand6432

    And how would these students even know anything about what a major in fields like philosophy would be since this subject is not offered at very many secondary schools.

  • mycantarella

    What is frustrating to me and is a significant chapter in my book (I CAN Finish College) is the lack of student awareness that majors and careers do not mesh in the long term. Building skills is key and job readiness through a variety of strategies including internships and other activities. I am distressed by the disparagement of the relevance of liberal arts though the liberal arts are a fine delivery mechanism for communications skills, critical thinking, finding information, and problem solving. Those are the skills we carry to work.

  • maguire_associates

    Thank you for your comment,  old nassau.  The sample for the research was provided by FastWeb.  Over 21,000 seniors participated in the initial survey in January 2011, and the 2,387 students who participated in the follow-up survey highlighted here are a subset of that larger group and were large enough to examine by various subgroups such as by region of the country, gender, ethnicity, standardized test scores, etc.  Our review of the representativeness revealed that one of the larger areas of deviation from the overall population of college-bound seniors is on the gender balance.  The over-representation of females is fairly typical in surveys and was considered when interpreting the results

  • maguire_associates

    Thanks for your question, cottontails.  Location is often revealed to be a top priority in students’ application and enrollment decision making.  When the seniors in this research were asked to indicate the most important reasons they choose their enrollment school, the top overall enrollment drivers include geographic location and distance from home in addition to perceived quality of major and academic reputation, scholarship or financial assistance/total costs, campus setting and environment, social life, and job prospects after graduation.

  • maguire_associates

    Thanks for your question, peters137r.  In the January 2011 survey of over 21,000 seniors, 7% were undecided regarding their intended major.  While it is true that many students will change their major once they have enrolled (something we often document in surveys of current college students), prospective students’ intended major is an important selection criteria for them.

  • old nassau’67

    Thank you for the clarification.
    oldnassau

  • crababby

    Amen!

  • megane

    Excellent article. I chose the path less travelled – that being French in kindergarten and stuck with it all the way through to the completion of a French MA although I do wish I could build I coffee table – I really need one right now! French and 4 other languages have opened the gateway to the world for me and while I haven’t yet achieved that position in academia that I want (or any for that matter) I understand the importance of my craft and try daily to expand it. Language learning is so important to opening the door to the world and to all the different people within it. Together we can work on the world’s problems and I for one do not see language as a barrier but as an educational challenge.

  • dfreeze

    Reminds me of a quote I came across the other day:

    “There are two types of education… One should teach us how to make a living, and the other how to live.” – John Adams

  • mbelvadi

    I’m of the generation that did not offer girls the shop option. I sincerely hope that girls today genuinely have that choice now (genuine as opposed to intense social pressure not to choose it).  I have a ton of things needing doing around my house that I’m going to have to pay a handyman to do, for lack of those skills. 

  • 11182967

    Socafish:  At my high school boys took typing, too, which eventually saved me some money when I was able to type my own disseration–on a manual typewriter, no less.  But I’m wondering if that shop class you took had anything to do with the fact that you’re only typing with three fingers?

  • lizgibbons

    To those of you typing with three fingers and paying handymen–it’s never too late to learn. These things are NOT rocket science. I’m enormously grateful that my (professor) father insisted I learn typing (knowing that I intended to follow his footsteps in academia, he knew it would be cheaper to type my own dissertation), French (which enabled me to test out of the requirement in college), and how to use tools (love my cordless drill). He also made sure my brothers knew how to cook and sew (my oldest brother even mastered a sewing machine).  And, even though none of us were English majors, we all know enough to be appalled by “Me and one other kid…”. I love painting any house and apartment I’ve ever inhabited–it is a pleasure which is not immoral, illegal, fattening or addicive, but is, unlike most of what of what we do in academia, almost instant gratification. 

  • schmitzhaj

    The suggestion that “some colleges are changing their strategic use of wait lists” raises the question: what has been the typical use of waiting lists? Also, it’d be interesting to know how many wait-listed students delay decisions, hoping they will be picked, and the effect this has (e.g., do they lose their second or third choices while waiting for the top choice to move them off the waiting list). It seems that the use of wait lists could have many negative effects on prospective students. 

  • maguire_associates

    Great questions, Schmitzhaj. The volatility of the past couple of years has resulted in more wait list offers as colleges and universities try to gauge their yields to protect and ensure their classes. Part of the volatility is due to the 1 in 10 students who now admit to double- or triple-depositing at different institutions to hold places while they are making final decisions, negotiating scholarships or waiting to be offered acceptances from wait lists. When 10 percent or more of an institution’s deposits are fluid, institutions use the wait list to balance the class. This situation actually presents opportunities to interested students who remain active in a wait list pool.

  • cyirka

    “Me …elected for shop.”
    I can only guess you are trying to be ironic:  the educated guy who took shop cans speak like the uneducated?
    I would hope that at least in print, me, instead of I,.would not be used as the subject of a sentence 

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.