Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Black Box Of Enrollment Management: The Influence Of Academic Capitalism And Values Of The Public Good, Kamala C. Kiem

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The study addresses the widening income and racial access gap in higher education resulting from enrollment management teams’ operationalization of academic capitalism. The study focuses on the local, micro level, emphasizing how enrollment management leadership teams make sense of enrollment management, recognizing that enrollment management and the work of enrollment management stakeholders exist within an organizational space encompassing the values of both public good and academic capitalism. Using a case study methodology and critical sensemaking theory, the research explored how academic capitalism and values of the public good shaped enrollment management leadership teams’ sensemaking and sensegiving as they enacted decisions, …

Ouachita's Spring Enrollment Highest In 26 Years, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Following record fall enrollment, Ouachita Baptist University has reported its highest spring headcount in more than 26 years with a total Spring 2023 enrollment of 1,682.

Ouachita is sustaining momentum in student recruitment and retention; total Ouachita enrollment increased 17% the past six years while many colleges and universities have reported enrollment decreases.

How Doctoral Students With Low Gre Scores Succeed: A Grounded Theory Study, Dea Mulolli, June E. Gothberg

The Qualitative Report

Most U.S. graduate schools rely on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) to predict readiness for graduate degree programs and differentiate between applicants in verbal and quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills. Many times, low GRE scores create a barrier to entry into U.S. graduate programs despite research showing that selecting graduate applicants based solely on academic metric thresholds does not guarantee graduate student performance and many low scorers still attain a graduate degree on time (Miller et al., 2019b; Pacheco et al., 2017; Petersen et al., 2018; Wang et al, 2013). In this study, we used a constructivist …

Ouachita's Fall 2022 Enrollment Growth Reflects University Momentum, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Enrollment continues to grow at Ouachita Baptist University, where a Fall 2022 headcount of 1,784 is the university’s highest in 56 years.

Total enrollment, up 17.6% since 2016, includes a cohort of 445 first-time freshmen that has distinguished itself academically. Half earned a high school grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 or higher, 23 graduated first in their high school class and 36 are Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholars.

Ouachita Reports Highest Total Spring Enrollment In More Than 25 Years, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University has reported record spring enrollment for the second consecutive year, with a total Spring 2022 headcount of 1,663. This represents a 2.7% increase over Spring 2021 and the highest spring enrollment in more than 25 years.

In Fall 2021, Ouachita celebrated a number of historic school records including its highest enrollment in 55 years and largest, most diverse freshman class in its history. The two semesters of back-to-back records are part of the university’s multi-year enrollment growth and are indicators of Ouachita’s momentum in recruiting and retaining students, even while total university enrollment in the state and …

Ouachita Receives Initial Approval For 4-Year Bsn Program In Arkadelphia, Felley Lawson, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Nursing has been initially approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN) to begin recruiting and admitting students to its 4-year, residential Bachelor of Science in Nursing pre-licensure program option. The first cohort will start the program at the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester.

Prior to earning initial approval on Jan. 6, 2022, Ouachita’s program was granted pre-requisite approval by the ASBN on Sept. 9, 2021.

“Ouachita’s experienced faculty is well prepared to offer a high-quality, student-centered nursing education to help meet the demand for nurses,” said Dr. Brenda Trigg, director of nursing …

Ouachita Baseball’S Carter Wade On Playing College Sports: “It Doesn’T Matter What Division You Are In”, Madison Cresswell, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

In choosing a college to further his education and baseball career, Carter Wade, a senior accounting major from Little Rock, Ark., first decided to attend a Division I university.

From Someone Who’S Been There: Consider Ouachita Even If You Don’T Know Anyone, Claire Phillips, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

As if the final stretch of senior year is not hard enough, you’re also having to make a decision that will affect the next few years of your life – where you’re going to college. The process can be overwhelming, frustrating and confusing, and it oftentimes can seem like a competition among peers; who will be accepted into the best school, who is going to receive the most offers, who is going to commit to a university first. I know how defeating this process can be. Even during my senior year of high school, I really didn’t begin to apply …

Founded On Friendship: And How The Ouachita Community Overflows Beyond Campus, Erin Calhoon, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

The Ouachita community truly is something special. While on campus, I was surrounded by faculty and peers alike who uniquely challenged me and pushed me to grow in my relationship with Christ.

Attending A College That Loves You Back: A Ouachita Senior’S Reflections, Abby Turner, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

“Why did you want to go to college at Ouachita? Didn’t you want to get out of your hometown?” I have been asked these questions frequently since I stepped on to campus as a freshman in 2017. To me, not going to Ouachita had never been an option. For as long as I can remember, Ouachita was the next step, and it couldn’t get here soon enough.

Understanding And Enhancing The Graduate Admissions Experience For Dacamented/Undocumented Students, Taylor Ulrich

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The informal and often ad hoc nature of college admissions can deter DACAmented/ Undocumented students from applying, being admitted, or choosing to enroll in higher education. Admissions offices can serve as a resource to these students, assisting them in navigating this extensive process. The purpose of my research was to better understand the DACAmented/Undocumented graduate student experience and explore how DACAmented/Undocumented students’ needs could be better met in graduate admissions at University of San Diego. The research questions guiding my study were (1) how could I understand and enhance the DACAmented/Undocumented graduate student experience? and (2) how could I work …

Memories On And Off The Field: What Ouachita Women’S Soccer Has Given Me, Meagan North, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita has given me so much, but my favorite thing it has given me is soccer. As a little girl, I dreamt of playing college sports. I saw pictures of college-age soccer players and how athletic and intimidating they looked, and I really wanted to be that. Ouachita gave me that opportunity.

4 Ways To Break Out Of Your Comfort Zone And Have The College Experience You Want, Gabrielle Davis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

As a rising senior, it’s incredibly easy for me to look back at my college experience and say, “College was a time for growth.” I started my time at Ouachita as a shy freshman who just wanted to earn her degree, maybe go to a few events and get out. I was afraid to try anything outside of my comfort zone, lest I jeopardize my education.

5 Tips To Get Ahead If You Plan To Study Two (Or Three!) College Majors, Jessica Daniell, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

If you are scanning the multiple academic schools and academic programs offered at Ouachita, you are likely to come across several that may pique your interest. You probably have several passions and talents already, so declaring one major over another may be a difficult challenge.

Double Duty: How I’Ve Juggled Tennis And A Double Major Without Forfeiting My Grades, Claire Phillips, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

When I came to Ouachita in the fall of 2017, I was a tennis player majoring in business administration/marketing who had no idea what I wanted to do with my time here. I just knew I needed a major and figured that a business degree could be applied almost anywhere once I graduated. If anyone had asked me what I wanted to do when I graduated, I would have looked at them like a deer in the headlights.

Fearful Of Going Back To School? 3 Reasons You Can Earn A Degree Online, Jessica Qualls, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Every year when fall begins, my family has a tradition of watching the 1998 classic, "You've Got Mail." (If you haven't seen it, prepare your heart for delightful Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks banter, autumnal New York scenes and dial-up internet nostalgia.) One of my favorite lines in the movie comes from main character Kathleen Kelly's bookkeeper, Bertie. When Kathleen chooses to make a major career change, Bertie calls her decision, “the brave thing to do,” saying, “You are daring to imagine that you could have a different life!”

Why It’S Okay To Change Your Major, And How Ouachita Makes It Easy, Michaelyn Ferrell, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

During my senior year in high school, I thought I had to have my entire future planned out, including knowing what I would study in college. If you’re thinking the same thing, take a breath! You don’t have to know it all before going to college.

Onboarding Transfer Students At The University Of San Diego, Andrea Garcia

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

In this study, I explored the experiences and needs of transfer students at the University of San Diego (USD) through assessment analysis, the implementation and observations of Spring orientation, and student leader surveys. My positionality as a graduate assistant for New Student Onboarding allowed me to implement Spring orientation programming, analyze postorientation assessment data, and survey transfer student leaders about their experiences. This study provided me a better understanding of how we as a department and an institution as a whole can improve how we onboard our transfer students and further support them throughout their undergraduate career. While cultivating a …

Ouachita Waiving Test Score Requirement For Fall 2021 Applicants, Rachel Moreno, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University is waiving its usual admissions requirements for ACT and SAT standardized test scores for the 2020-2021 recruitment cycle. This will apply to students enrolling as freshmen for the fall 2021 semester.

The Development Of A Situational Judgment Test To Assess Collegiate Judgment: A Pilot Study, Jared Stevens

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Traditionally, colleges and universities have focused primarily on cognitive predictors (e.g., ACT/SAT scores, high school GPA), and have struggled to find an accurate and objective way of measuring non-cognitive skills, often resorting to personality measures or interviews, or deciding not to measure them at all. Recently, there has been a push for alternative forms of student selection that result in less adverse impact and do not ignore important skills and traits that are necessary to be successful in college (Peeters & Lievens, 2005; Atkinson, 2001).

Growing evidence suggests Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) may be one way to achieve this goal. …

Book Review: Courtrooms And Classrooms: A Legal History Of College Access, 1860-1960, Mark A. Addison

Journal of College Access

Issues of college access are increasingly met with resolutions within social and economic contexts. Models such as cost of production output, and race and socioeconomic-conscious strategies form the basis of such analyses (Jenkins & Rodriguez, 2013; Henriksen, 1995; Treager Huber, 2010; Schmidt, 2012). We can expect retooling and reinventing of such models with increasing college costs and changes in student demographics.

Connections With The Current Generation Of College Students Using Digital Marketing Practices, Michael Galindo

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Higher education professionals in college and university admissions utilize various forms of communication in enrolling their fall class. The problem with the digital generation, also known as the Millennials, is that students have disconnected from the personal touch - the connection that is established between the student, their admissions counselor and the institution. Often it is found that this connection helps prospective students find that perfect fit in selecting a college.

This study identifies several technological approaches and evaluates their effectiveness in undergraduate admissions recruitment. A review of the literature revealed that recent technological advances such as social media, personal …

Future Students Invited To Attend Ouachita's Campus, Sarah Davis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University is looking for the class of 2021 and other upcoming classes. There are several different ways for students interested in Ouachita to come visit campus. From personal tours to overnight visits, Ouachita Admissions Counseling creates opportunities to introduce all aspects of the university to prospective students. The first Tiger Day of the fall semester is coming up this Friday, Sept. 9.

The Impact Of U.S. News & World Report College Rankings On Admissions Outcomes And Pricing Policies At Selective Private Institutions, James Monks, Ronald G. Ehrenberg

Ronald G. Ehrenberg

Despite the widespread popularity of the U.S. News & World Report College rankings there has been no empirical analysis of the impact of these rankings on applications, admissions, and enrollment decisions, as well as on institutions' pricing policies. Our analyses indicate that a less favorable rank leads an institution to accept a greater percentage of its applicants, a smaller percentage of its admitted applicants matriculate, and the resulting entering class is of lower quality, as measured by its average SAT scores. While tuition levels are not responsive to less favorable rankings, institutions offer less visible price discounts in the form …

The Use Of Feuerstein’S Instrumental Enrichment With Underprepared College Students: A Pilot Study, Michael Kieta

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This pilot study investigated the usage of Feuerstein’s (1980) Instrumental Enrichment with underprepared college students. Open admissions policies in colleges and universities have resulted in the enrollment of many students who are underprepared to meet the academic task demands. Courses have been developed by the colleges and universities to remediate the academic deficits of underprepared students. Remedial courses using traditional educational methods have been largely ineffective. Cognitive process instruction (CPI) is an area of educational research that recently began to receive increased attention in the field of remedial education. The goal of CPI has been to develop the cognitive/thought processes …

The Political Economy Of Admissions, Roger A. Lohmann

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

A conceptual model of graduate social work admissions highlighting the societal implications of admission decisions is set out in this paper. Admissions, it is argued, can be viewed as a resource allocation process in which the distribution of various resources – goods and services, status, authority and professional autonomy – is altered. The authoritative allocation of status within the status economy of the profession is set forth and defended as the key allocation dimension of admissions processes.