In This Issue Current Issue Archives

December 2004

Full December 2004 issue of Recruitment & Retention in Higher Education in PDF format
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Little Consensus on Value of Writing Scores
In the next round of admissions decisions, most selective campuses will allow applicants to submit scores from either the old or new versions of the SAT and ACT. But there is little consensus on whether the new versions’ writing tests will help campuses make better decisions about who to admit.

Online Screening Broadens Counseling Center’s Reach
Many campus counseling centers are swamped just handling the students who visit of their own initiative. That often means the center has fewer resources to find and assist students who need help but aren’t stepping forward.

Advising Distance, Non-Traditional Students Online
Nearly every college student can benefit from a good relationship with an academic advisor. This relationship is even more critical for distance students, who might rely on their advisors for everything from course selection to book purchasing.

Reconsider Blanket Psychiatric Withdrawal Rules
Based on public safety and legal fears, psychiatric withdrawal policies that automatically remove from campus students who are disruptive due to mental illness might seem prudent, but such policies might actually put your campus at greater risk.

Resources
Graduate Admissions Conference; Adult-Centered Education; Adult Education Report; Learning Communities Summer Institute; Dual Enrollment Report; Student Engagement Report

Educate Students, Parents About Sleep Loss
Campuses must help students experiencing increased anxiety, general fatigue, or difficulty concentrating understand that sleep deprivation is a possible cause, said Connie Horton, director of counseling services at Illinois Wesleyan.

Newswire
More Students, Shorter Time; Black Enrollments Drop Again at UM; Massachusetts Merit Aid; A Matter of Degree

Schools Look to SEVIS Refund to Boost International Enrollment
The University of Texas-Austin is among the two-thirds of U.S. colleges and universities that say they’ve seen a decrease in new international graduate student enrollments for the third straight year. In response to this decrease, the university will reimburse incoming international students for their $100 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System fees.

Drop in International Graduate Enrollment Not as Bad as Feared
A new Council of Graduate Schools survey finds that the number of new international students enrolling in U.S. colleges and universities has declined 6 percent from last year. Although this is the third straight year in which the CGS has reported a decline, it is not as steep as was feared based on earlier survey data.