Student Characteristics

This paper advances the perspective that more frequent and comprehensive assessments, and more frequent and complete evaluations of college and university programs, are essential if colleges and universities are to improve minority access and achievement. Without denying the need to create new sources of data and information for measuring achievement in higher education, this study relied upon existing sources, many of them under-used. In order to begin assessing the pool of minority college candidates, forecasts of future enrollments and characteristics of prospective students are reviewed including the current growth rate of minority populations and current indicators of various groups ' educational preparedness. A discussion of institutional climate (student attitudes, behaviors and experiences and institutional programs, practices and policies) and its contribution to student and institutional outcomes are also discussed with data:,.ndicating tha