The rates at which men and women attend graduate and professional school were compared in a large national sample of college seniors followed up a year after graduation. Women attended less often, even women with very high grades. Women were particularly underrepresented in law and medicine. When the attendance rates of individuals who had planned…

The educational aspirations and graduate school plans of 404 undergraduates at two universities were studied. Separate analyses were conducted for the 190 males and the 214 females who attended either a large, rural, public institution or a smaller, urban, church-related college. It was found that both men's and women's aspirations rose between…

Two limited studies are reported: (1) a pilot test of sex differences in high school math preparation, and (2) a pilot study of attitudes toward mathematics. The first was a random sample of 81 college applicants (42 boys, 39 girls) which showed that 57 percent of the boys took four years of high school mathematics compared to 8 percent of the…

In a sample of 122 African-American college students, internalized racial identity, academic classification, and parents' educational attainment were significantly related to hope. Internalized racial identity was related to vocational identity for women, but not for men. (SK)

Two samples of entering college freshmen (at the University of Maryland, College Park) comprising two different generational cohorts (1976 cohort, n=1491; 1994 cohort, n=2516) were compared to determine the similarities and differences to attitudinal and behavioral items on a survey administered at a summer orientation program. The data were…

Describes a longitudinal study which examined patterns of change in the life-goal aspirations and educational expectations of 2,786 women and men who graduated from the University of California, Davis, between 1968-79. Findings indicated that life-goal aspirations and educational expectations have changed over the decade of the 1970s. (Author/AM)

The perceptions of college of education faculty members of their achievements and future potential at various life cycle and career phases were investigated. Survey questionnaires were sent to 391 college of education faculty members from 38 institutions. Findings emphasized the primacy of teaching in their perceptions for productivity.…

The literature review attempted to identify: 1) what we know and don't know about post-secondary aspirations, expectations, and access; and 2) where and how it is possible for us to embark on solutions or further investigation. The research in this area has been heavily sociological. Socio-economic background, family size, community origins,…

A study examined whether women who teach public relations are satisfied in their teaching careers. Subjects, 113 women faculty teaching public relations, responded to a survey on satisfaction and morale, as well as to questions about the respondents' plans for the future. Results indicated that women who are currently teaching public relations in…

Considers the hypothesis that Black women are inappropriately displacing Black men in professional roles and reviews research on the significance of gender in Black students' professional aspirations. Reports on a study which found that Black females continue to aspire to less prestigious professions than do their male counterparts. (KH)

Reviews the status of black doctorate production from U.S. universities during the 1980s, updating baseline information and examining the baccalaureate origins of African American doctorates. Black students continue to be underrepresented, especially in science and engineering, and gender differences persist. The role of historically black…

A student's age, sex, aspiration, and ability were related to successful performance (50th percentile or higher) on the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) general examinations. Previous college credits and attendance status, as measured, did not seem to be important factors. Of the variables investigated, ability, as measured by the American…

Examines alienation and student effort among undergraduates attending a two-year college, a comprehensive college, and a research university. Alienation differed by institution and gender, and student effort differed by institution, with students at four-year colleges having higher occupational aspirations. Few gender differences were found in…

During Fall 1970 the questionnaire for the Winter 1970-1971, or fourth follow-up, of the 1965-1966 current population survey (CPS) of high school seniors was completed by the Columbia researchers and Census Bureau personnel jointly. The field phase of the follow-up was conducted by Census in Winter 1970-1971, followed by data processing by Census.…

Provides a brief overview of the Finnish educational system and examines the effects of family educational and socioeconomic background on access to and success in higher education. Data on 1985 and 1990 secondary school graduates and young adults indicated that children tended to aim at the same sort of education and jobs as their parents. (MDM)