Matching Students to Opportunity

Andrew P. Kelly, Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj

"This book expands on the discussion of a critical issue in college access and success: the match between a prospective student and the college in which he or she enrolls. Research indicates that ensuring a good match significantly increases students' chances of graduation. The contributors to this volume argue that the discussion of college match must be broadened to include students at all levels of achievement - not just the most academically qualified - and must take into consideration dimensions other than academic selectivity, such as geography and price. Drawing on original empirical research, they examine the preferences that shape students' choices and assess their importance in ensuring students' success. They look at institutional practices that contribute to the problem of undermatching, and ask how local, state, and federal policy can help to change both the demand and...