Information from the National Longitudinal Study (1972 seniors), the High School and Beyond Study (1980 seniors and sophomores) and the Postsecondary Education Transcript Study (1984) is analyzed to compare the patterns of enrollment, persistence, and attainment among these groups from their high school graduation until 1986. Subgroups by sex, race and socioeconomic status were analyzed, and the findings included the following: (1) postsecondary enrollment rates increased between 1972 and 1980, but declined for the 1982 cohort; (2) enrollment was higher for Whites than for Blacks, and there was a positive relationship between enrollment and socioeconomic status; (3) rates of persistence through three years of postsecondary education did not decline between the 1972 and 1980 cohorts, but declined significantly between the 1980 and 1982 cohorts; (4) the rate of persistence through four years of postsecondary education was lower in each successive cohort for Black students; (5) the rate of 1- or 2-year degrees was about the same for the 1980 and 1982 cohorts, except that the rate declined for males and students with high socioeconomic status; and (6) rates of attainment for the 1982 and 1972 cohorts were about the same, except that the 1982 cohort had higher attainment rates among Blacks, Hispanics, and students with low socioeconomic status. A technical appendix provides information about the three studies from which the data are drawn. (KM)