Two sampling designs were compared for the planned 1978 national longitudinal survey of high school seniors with respect to statistical efficiency and cost. The 1972 survey used a stratified two-stage sample of high schools and seniors within schools. In order to minimize interviewer travel costs, an alternate sampling design was proposed,…

An outline is presented of the design of the followup surveys of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS). The NLS is an extensive study of the educational, vocational, and personal development of high school graduates, and the personal, familial, social, institutional, and cultural factors that contribute to that…

The field survey procedures employed and the response rates obtained in the First Follow-Up Survey of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS) are described. The first step in data collection for First Follow-Up involved an extensive tracing operation to update name and address files. A newsletter was mailed out to…

The National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 obtained data for 23,451 students, of whom 16,683 completed the base-year questionnaire; 21,350 completed the first follow-up; and 20,872 completed the second follow-up. This report describes the methodology for minimizing bias in the data which might be caused by nonresponse to such…

A major purpose of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS) was to provide a data base for studies concerned with the relationship between high school experience and experience in the years immediately following graduation. This methodological report is designed to facilitate use of the data base. The sample was…

The report traces the activities which led to the development of the adjusted weights--beginning with the basic National Longitudinal Study design, the base-year weight calculations, and the resurvey procedures. Next, the report describes the first follow-up weight calculations (including unadjusted student weights), nonresponse adjustment…

A group of high school self-reported dropouts and a group of simulated high school dropouts were compared with graduates in their participation rates, efforts required for data collection, and the overall quality of their responses in the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. The results indicate that dropouts are less…

As in any very large survey, the sample that provided data for the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS) differed from the random sample of the study design because of nonresponse from 226 of the 1,200 schools in the primary sample, and a small amount of other missing data. Part A of this report, briefly describes the…