Comparison of young adults' occupational aspirations during the first seven years after high school with occupations held at age 30 showed that, no matter when expectations were measured, fewer than half achieved their aspirations. Among those who do not, men tend to move to higher occupations/positions, whereas women move down or leave the labor…

Comparison of National Longitudinal Study data for 1972 and 1980 high school senior agriculture students showed considerable increases in female and Black enrollment, no change in academic ability as indicated by standardized test scores, and changes in occupational aspiration (a trend toward female-dominant occupations). (SK)

Data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 and follow-up surveys through 1979 were used to explore career and educational patterns of two groups of women: those who received their high school education in rural areas and remained, and those who left for larger communities. Over 40% of the sample were…

Scholars of sex differentials in attainment in the labor market have long looked to the division of labor in the family--especially childbearing and rearing--as one source of these differentials. This study assesses the effects of the first birth on the career orientation and job characteristics of young adult males and females, using data from…

A causal framework was used to explore factors that influence the enrollment of four-year college students in the hard and technical sciences (math, science, engineering) and the professions (pre-law, medicine, dentistry). The factors studied were family status, standardized test performance, high school rank, educational expectations, high school…

Project S-114 (1977-1983) consisted of three objectives which dealt with rural Southern youth and focused on educational and occupational aspirations and attainment results for males and females, blacks and whites. Each objective involved utilization of a distinct dataset. In 1979 Objective 1 was completed; the fourth wave of a longitudinal panel…

The National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS) is periodically surveying a large national sample to chart their educational, vocational, and personal development and to relate this information to earlier experiences, plans, and personal characteristics. This report describes the class in terms of the short-term post…

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS), this study shows that almost half the NLS respondents teaching in 1979 did not report teaching plans in high school, whereas three-fourths of those planning to teach were not teaching in 1979. (Author/BW)

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972, this study of 3,171 individuals 13-14 years after high school graduation found, when educational attainment is held constant, students initially enrolling in a 2-year vs. 4-year colleges are not significantly disadvantaged in occupational and economic attainments.…

Changes that occurred between 1972 and 1980 in the intended field of study and occupational aspirations of high school seniors were investigated, along with how successfully seniors attained their aspirations. Background, personal, and school variables associated with selecting each occupation and field among the 1980 seniors were analyzed…

Examined race and sex differences in the stability of mobility goals over a seven-year period following high school graduation and assessed effects of race, sex, social class, and academic ability on current mobility goals of young people who participated in a recent national longitudinal survey. (Author/GC)

A study that compared occupational attainment before and after adult education shows that economic background and participation in education as an adult does not help blacks attain better jobs as much as it helps whites. Thus, the occupational attainment of blacks is not significantly related to their participation in education after age 25. The…

The study contributed to further understanding of the educational and occupational aspirations of Louisiana rural seniors during 1968 and 1972 and of rural seniors from throughout the United States and the South in 1972. Of the variables used, i.e., time, location, sex, and race, two variables were significant on levels of aspiration time and…

The options in the labor market for high school graduates, the demand for higher education, and the vocational education sector are explored by employing data from the National Longitudinal Survey of the High School Class of 1972. Findings are detailed including post-high-school experiences (expected and actual). (Author/MLW)

Changes in the self-concept and career orientation of 10,759 members of a nationally representative sample of high school graduates was studied over 7 years. Objectives were to determine: (1) the degree to which changes in adolescents' self-concept and career attitudes were related to their level of involvement in postsecondary education; and (2)…