Jack E. Rossmann

Cost-effectiveness of differential techniques for mail questionnaires

As part of a follow-up study of a national sample of 59,000 freshmen who enrolled in colleges or universities in the fall of 1966, 14 random samples of approximately 1000 students each were assigned to various mail survey techniques. Cost and response rate data were examined to determine the relative “cost-effectiveness” of the techniques. The results indicated that use of nonprofit outgoing postage, window envelopes, and business reply returns lowered the costs per contact and did not significantly impair rate of return. Use of a second-wave questionnaire was a very effective technique for increasing the response rate.

The Disadvantaged Student at a Liberal Arts College.

In the fall of 1969, a program to expand educational opportunities (EEO) for economically disadvantaged students was initiated at Macalester College. During the first three years of the program, the percentage of non-white students at the College rose from 3% to approximately 15%.Average grades for the EEO students were approximately one standard deviation below those of a random non-EEO sample, similar to the differences in high school grades between the two groups. However, the EEO students persisted at Macalester College at a slightly higher rate than non-EEO students. The EEO students also were more likely than non-EEO students to major in the behavioral/social sciences and less likely to major in the fine arts, humanities, and physical sciences.