In an effort to understand the dynamics of the status attainment process, the effects of significant-other influences were analyzed in terms of sexual and racial differences. Data were derived from a proportionate, stratified, random cluster sample of Louisiana high school seniors. High schools were stratified on the basis of residence…

The main thesis of this study is that the failure of the American Indian to achieve social and economic integration in American society during a century of reservation life, and specifically the failure of the Indian family to prepare its youth to face the competitive expectations of the other social institutions, is directly related to the…

About 62.8 million of the total U.S. population live in the South; of these, about 10% live in the "rural" South. Young people (under 25 years of age) constitute almost half of the total population in the South--29.4 million. Over one-third of all southern people are under 18 years of age. The racial composition of the youth population…

A five-year, four-wave, longitudinal study of 2,788 youth from seven public and parochial, urban and suburban school systems in the southern tier of New York provided data, through survey questionnaires, for a comparative analysis of students entering two-year and four-year colleges, and students who terminated their formal education with a high…

Four hundred sixty-nine high school students in six high schools were surveyed in order to obtain information regarding their postsecondary plans and goals, career preferences, educational/training preferences, and opinions about Roane State Community College. Among the findings revealed by the survey were: (1) an overall trend of increasing…

Examines the issue of equality of opportunity and social mobility in terms of differences between urban and rural young people in South-Western Nigeria, focusing particularly on those handicaps associated with female disadvantage. Reports results of interviews with 359 rural and urban female secondary school students. (JHZ)

A path analysis of the relationship of student background, precollege academic factors, occupational and educational aspirations, institutional characteristics, college performance, and financial assistance to student persistence found that students receiving aid were more likely than others to complete their degrees, and that aid has the third…

This action research project implemented and evaluated an intervention for improving student engagement in the learning process. The targeted population consisted of first, third, and fifth grade students in a small, traditional, middle class community, located in central Illinois. Evidence of non-engaged behaviors were documented from teacher…

This study used data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 and follow-up data collected in 1990, 1992, and 1994, to examine the characteristics and personal/educational factors related to gifted high school dropouts (n=3,520). Results indicate: (1) many gifted students left school because they were failing school, did not like…

This book presents an overview of working-class life in England, showing how women from working-class backgrounds still seldom achieve higher level academic qualifications and the lifestyle to which they lead. Analyzing her own experience and that of others of similar background, the author shows how their mothers and fathers held low expectations…

This collection of papers examines educational issues concerning K-college Asian and Pacific American students. The 10 papers are: (1) "Educational Aspirations of Southeast Asian Students" (Clara C. Park); (2) "The Effectiveness of Reciprocal Teaching with Vietnamese American Students" (Mai Dao); (3) "Exploring Pacific…

Several data sources indicate that the desire to obtain both a college and university credential in Ontario's postsecondary system is considerable. Aspirations at the start of college are high, with at least one quarter of college students having serious intentions of attaining a degree after a diploma. Data sources include the College Student…

Data from Project Talent are utilized to assess the representativeness of the samples used in the Wisconsin and the Exploration in Equality of Opportunity (EEO) surveys. Adequacy of the measures of academic aptitude and aspiration used in the surveys are examined, and problems with the Wisconsin model are briefly discussed. (RM)

An analysis of the Wisconsin model of achievement asks how powerful this model is in accounting for social influences, aspirations, and attainment when measurement error is taken into account. Revised estimates show support for the Wisconsin model. A revised model is even more powerful for explaining educational and occupational achievement.…

A study of Los Angeles area high school seniors examined college-bound and noncollege-bound students' choice of specific educational program, the importance of future earnings in program choice, and perceptions of income differentials between high school and college graduates. A positive relationship between perceived economic benefits and college…