This book examines the educational and occupational choices that 1972 high school graduates made over the succeeding 15 years, focusing on how postsecondary education has made a difference in their lives. It uses data collected for the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS-72), which has tracked a representative sample of 22,652 individuals using survey questionnaires and school records. Six chapters address: (1) methodological issues and the NLS-72 cohort; (2) the educational attitudes and attainment of women, with an emphasis on their experiences in the job market and the effect of sex bias on earnings and advancement; (3) the educational attainment and occupational choices of college athletes; (4) the role of community colleges on educational attainment and occupations; (5) the effect of college curriculum and course selection on cultural literacy; and (6) the economic, social, and cultural trends of the 1970s. Four appendixes provide information on definitions used in the book's tables; institutional selectivity and course-taking patterns; educational pathways, socioeconomic status, and major field distributions; and other longitudinal studies that include educational data. (Contains 260 references.) (MDM)