This report of findings is designed as an initial sketch of some of the political attitudes and values of American High School Seniors at a particular point in historical time and at a single stage in their political development. In the spring of 1965 a national probability sample of 1669 high school seniors at 97 high schools were interviewed…

A three-year joint project of the Community College of Philadelphia and Beaver College (Pennsylvania) sought to raise transfer aspirations and improve the related skills of minority and low-income students, through a five-week residential program including two interdisciplinary courses co-taught by faculty from both institutions. Most powerful…

Graduating seniors (N=667) in a large high school were surveyed concerning their college plans and understandings of costs. Costs were largely determinant of college plans for children of Spanish-speaking parents, but these students had the most unrealistic estimates of college tuition. Implications for counseling are discussed. (SLD)

Data from the 1993-94 ACT Assessment and a follow-up were examined to see how many black and white students eventually enrolled in what had been their first-choice colleges. Results for 12,448 blacks and 125,298 whites indicate that initial choices by blacks are more liable to change. (SLD)

A survey of 1,433 high school seniors in northern California examined adolescent educational and career aspirations. Increasing numbers of students planned to seek education or training beyond high school. Latinos had lower aspirations than other ethnic groups. School counseling services were not used much or considered helpful. Parents were the…

Most teachers have been good students. Some students are fast learners and attain the required knowledge and skills easily; others are obedient, hard workers. In either case, teachers are likely to believe that if students really try, they will do well. Listening to students over many years, the author has learned that this is probably not true.…

Data from the 1980 High School and Beyond (HSB) study are used to examine the variables associated with the grades that college-bound high school sophomores received in English, algebra, and geometry courses. Special concerns included determining if gender differences in high school grades could be explained, and how teachers' perceptions of…

A follow-up study and evaluation were done on the effect of an annual 4-week academically intensive program for 50 St. Louis (Missouri) area high school junior and senior students. The program consists of two summers, the first offering general scientific experience and education, and the second providing students with the chance to conduct…

Guidelines for using questionnaires/findings provided through the Student-Outcomes Information Service (SOIS) are presented. SOIS provides institutional decision-makers with information on student characteristics, backgrounds, attitudes, reasons for making various educational choices, activities, educational plans, occupational choices, and…

The influence of family background, including parental education, on college student attrition was evaluated with first- and second-generation American students. A total of 701 enrolled students and those who left before graduation were surveyed at a primarily residential private liberal arts college and at a primarily commuter state-supported…

Factors contributing to declining academic performance of college students are considered, including: increased government intervention in education, declining faculty expectations and lowered standards, administrative policies, and changing student attitudes and expectations. One view is that government is largely responsible for the…

Research among ninth graders in Ankara, Turkey, compared individual and family characteristics of socioeconomically disadvantaged versus advantaged students; investigated the educational issues these students faced; and examined major educational and guidance problems of the disadvantaged. Results indicated that, compared to advantaged students,…

Results of the 1981 American Council on Education (ACE) freshmen survey for Saint Mary's College, Indiana, are examined. A total of 403 freshmen at Saint Mary's, 82 percent of the incoming class, participated. Comparative data for 1976-81 are presented for Saint Mary's freshmen. Three types of national norms were used: women at all four-year…

The relationships among motivational orientations of entering university freshmen, their involvement in social and academic systems, and persistence/attrition were studied at Arizona State University. Also considered was the applicability of Tinto's theory, which suggests that if background and commitments are equal, the greater the integration of…

A follow-up study examined the life and educational histories of selected adult basic education (ABE) students and the perceived impact of such experiences on their personal growth. Interviewed survey participants were asked about the effect of ABE on the following areas of their lives: self-image, attitudes towards life, self-direction, ability…