This study examines the influences that high school seniors considered when making their plans for after graduation. Bourdieu's theory of habitus and Coleman's social capital theory inform the conceptual framework. Qualitative interviews were conducted with students and school counselors from four rural Kentucky school districts. Family, peers and…

The Middle College High School (MCHS) is an optional high-school format, typically co-sponsored by community colleges and local school districts. Students complete core high-school graduation requirements while concurrently completing college courses. This dissertation presents an analysis of the academic achievement and educational plans of the…

A survey was conducted to learn what Kentucky high school students think about the pursuit of learning opportunities after high school and how they are investing their time in anticipation of possible postsecondary attendance. The survey was sent to 3,000 16- and 17-year-olds, and nearly 1,100 responded. Nearly all were planning to go on for more…

A survey sampling Kentucky secondary school juniors and seniors identified disadvantaged and/or handicapped students, their characteristics and attitudes toward vocational education, and their educational and occupational aspirations compared to vocational program enrollments. While survey data compared with data from other sources show some…

Changes in the occupational and educational aspirations and expectations of fifth and sixth grade children over a 6-year period were studied. In 1969, a questionnaire was administered to 355 students from 4 rural mountain schools and 3 urban schools in low-income areas in 3 Kentucky counties. In 1975, 199 students from the same rural mountain…