Developing social capital through elite merit programs: The case of Southern Methodist University

This dissertation analyses the effectiveness of an elite merit program at Southern Methodist University (SMU), a mid-size private university located in Dallas, Texas. Specifically, it addresses the question, "What is the value added of high cost merit aid programs to private universities such as Southern Methodist University (SMU)." The researcher found that SMU's President's Scholars program is successful in recruiting and matriculating high achieving students to the University who, without the merit aid, would have chosen to attend other institutions likely listed higher in national rankings than SMU. Social and economic theories of choice utilized by students and families when selecting a college or university are assessed as are the benefits gained by institutions through the successful recruitment of high achieving students, including the positive affect these students have on an institution's Quality of Student Index (including average SAT/ACT scores, average rank in class, and overall acceptance rate), on the ability of the university to recruit other high achieving students, and most likely on the university's retention and graduation rates as well. In addition, the benefits to the institution are assessed from a social capital perspective. Qualitative and quantitative data (including CIRP data) are utilized in assessing aspects of social capital production among scholars and non-scholars. The design and structure of an elite merit program (its activities, opportunities, and available information) can have a profound effect on student participants when the elite merit aid is accompanied by unique network and bonding opportunities for students as compared to the merit aid with no program attachments, activities, and opportunities for interaction with other program participants. Not only do scholars selected for this merit aid display a higher level of social capital in their high school activities than non-scholars, but they also display different attitudes and demonstrate greater interest than non-scholars in activities and organizations that have the potential to increase social capital on the college campus.