~ FACTORS RELATED TO HIGH SCHOOL

GRADUATION

Nearly all students who reach their senior year ot
high school graduate from high school. Of the high
school seniors in October 1965, all but 8 percent had
graduated from high school by February 1967 How-
ever, there were differences among the classes of the
population in the percentage of seniors who graduated
or failed to graduate from high school.

Demographic _characteristics.--The seniors who
resided fh he central cities of metropolitan areas in
1965 were more likely to graduate from high school
than were those who resided in either metropolitan
areas outside central cities or innonmetropolitan areas.
Of those who resided in the central cities, only 5
percent failed to graduate from high school, but 9
percent of the seniors in the other residence areas
did not graduate, The senior girls were more likely
to finish their senior year of high school than were
the senior boys, Only 6 percent of the senior girls
failed to graduate, but 9 percent of the senior boys
had not completed high school by 1967. The seniors
who were 18 years of age or older in the fall of 1965
were less likely to graduate than were younger seniors--
21 percent of the seniors aged 18 or older failed to
graduate, but only 5 percent of those under 18 failed
to graduate, The modal age of high school seniors
was 17 years, and the high attrition of the seniors over
17 is consistent with their pattern of scholastic
retardation. There is also some evidence that the
Negro seniors were less likely to graduate from high

p. School than the white sentors (table 1).

Family-background.--The educational level of the
senlor’s parents, the occupation of his household head,
and his family’s income are all related to whether or
not the senior graduated from high school. Among
the seniors whose father had completed less than 8
years of schooling, 15 percent did not graduate from
high school, but among seniors whose father had
completed at least 8 years of school, only 5 percent
did not graduate. Similarly, among the seniors whose
mother had completed less than 8 years of schooling,
13 percent did not graduate from high school compared
with only 5 percent of those whose mother had com-
pleted at least the 8th grade (table 2). Among the
seniors whose household head was a white-collar
worker, only 6 percent did not graduate from high
school, but among those whose household head was a

AMost of the school age youths who fail to graduate
do not reach their senior year, There is an attrition
‘of two youths before the senior year in high school for
every senior who fails to graduate according to the
report by James D. Covhig and Charles B, Nam, "Factors
Related to College Attendance of Farm and Nonfarm High
School Graduates: 1960," Current Population Reports,
Series Census-ERS (P-27), No. 32.

3

manual or service worker, 9 percent did not graduate.
A comparison by family income shows that low family
income is associated with failure to graduate. Among
those seniors whose family income was under $4,000,
13 percent failed to graduate from high school, whereas
among those whose family income was $4,000 or higher
only 6 percent failed to graduate (table 3).

Table 1.--GRADUATION STATUS IN FEBRUARY 1967 OF OCTO-
BER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, BY SELECTED DEMO-
GRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

High school seniors in
October 1965
Residence, age, race, .
a sex Number |__Percent_who~
reporting) Gradu- | Did not
(thous.) | “ated | graduate
RESIDENCE IN 1965
Total... 2,833 | 92.2 1.8
Metropolitan. 1,739 | 92.7 73
In central cities...... 676 | 94.8 5.2
Outside central cities.| 1,064 | 91.4 a6
Nonnetropoliten......+064| 1,094 | 91.4 86
AGE IN 1965

Total.. 2,833 | 92.2 7.8
Under 17 years. te a7 | 93.6 6.4
L7 yerSeeesessseessseeee] 1,852 | 95.8 4.2
1g years and Overs.ssssee 563. | 79.3 20.7
2,833 | 92.2 7.8
23524 | 92.8 72
309 | 87.6 1214
270 | 86.4 ale
1,448 | 90.8 9.2
i290 | 91:3 8.7
iss | 86.4 13.6
1,385 | 93.7 6.3
234 | 9403 “5.7
isi | 88.7 1.3

College plans.--The seniors who planned to attend
college after they graduated from high school were
more likely to finish their senior year than were the
seniors who did not plan to attend college. Of those
seniors who planned to attend college, only 4 percent
did not graduate from high school compared with 13
percent of those who either did not plan to attend or
were undecided on whether they would attend college
or not, There was a close association between the
type of college a senior planned to attend and high
school graduation. Those seniors who planned to attend
a junior college only, and therefore continue their


8

Students and Their Colleges: October 1966,” Current
Population Reports, Series P-20, No. 183. gives further
lata related to college attendance, including type of
college, living arrangements, marital status, field of
specialization, and college rank. Data on inter-

generational educational mobility were presented in
“Educational Change in a Generation: March 1962,”

Current Population Reports, Series P-20, No. 132,

Data on school dropouts can be found in “Character-
istics of School Dropouts and High School Graduates:
Farm and Nonfarm, 1960,” Agricultural Economic
Report No. 65, issued by the Economic Researc

ervice, U.S, Department of Agriculture. In “Factors

Related to College Attendance,” OE-54023, Cooperative
Research, Monograph No. 8, from the Office of Edu-
cation of the U.S, Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare, there is a detailed analysis of the
characteristics of high school students by their college
plans.

Statistics on school] enrollment and educational
attainment by social, economic, and demographic
characteristics are published in the Subject Reports of

High school seniors.--Persons were classified ~
high school seniors who were enrolled in the fourth
year of a “regular” high school in October 1965,
according to the Current Population Survey. As defined
in the survey, a “regular” high school is one which
may advance a person toward a high school diploma.
Examples of schools which are not regarded as
“regular” schools are private business and trade
schools, such as television repair schools, beautician
schools, and secretarial schools. If, however, such
schools offer credits which are accepted in a regular
school, they are counted as “regular.”

College attendance.--For persons who were high
school seniors inOctober 1965, information was obtained
on the follow-up questionnaire on whether they actually
attended college by February 1967. For those who
were reported as having attended college, the name of
the college was requested. The replies were then
edited to include as having attended college only those
persons who attended a “regular” college, that is, one
where credits are given that may lead to a degree.

College plans.--Information was obtained from the

the 1960 Census of Population, School Fnroliment,
PC(2)-5A, and Educational Attainment, PC(2)-5B-

DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS

Population coverage.--The figures shown are for
the high school seniors in the civilian noninstitutional
Population in October 1965 who responded to the
follow-up questionnaire in February 1967. All but 8.7
percent of the 1965 high school seniors responded to
the 1967 followup.

Metropolitan-nonmetropolitan residence.--The pop-
ulation residing standard metropolitan statistical
areas (SMSA's) constitutes the metropolitan population.
Except in New England, an SMSA is a county or group
of contiguous counties which contains at least one city
of 50,000 inhabitants or more, or “twin cities” with a
combined population of at least 50,000, In addition to
the county, or counties, containing such a city or
cities, contiguous counties are included in an SMSA if,
according to certain criteria, they are essentially
metropolitan in character and are socially and eco-
nomically integrated with the central city. In New
England, SMSA’s consist of towns and cities, rather
than counties. The metropolitan population in this
report is based on SMSA’s as defined in the 1960
Census and does not include any subsequent additions
or changes,

Age.--The age classification is based on the age of
the person at his last birthday, as reported in October
1965,

Race and color.--The term “race” refers to the
division of population into three groups, white, Negro,
and other races, Theterm “color” refersto the twofold
classification white and nonwhite,

High school graduation status.--Information was
obiatned in the follow-up questionnaire in February
1967, as to whether the seniors in the October 1965
survey had graduated from high school.

supplemental questionnaire to the high school seniors
in October 1965 on whether they planned to attend
college, and, if so, the type of college they planned to
attend (2-year, 4-year, or both). A student was
classified as “planning to attend” if he definitely or
Probably planned to attend a 2-year college only, a
4-year college only, or both a 2-year and a 4-year
college, He was classified as “not planning to attend”
if he definitely planned not to attend, was undecided
(a “don’t know” response), or did not respond.

Type of igh school curriculum.--This item, included
in the follow-up questionnaire, referred to the
major type of high school curriculum in which the
student had been enrolled. Response categories per-
mitted specification of the following types of curricu-
lums: College preparatory (academic), commercial
(business), vocational, and general or other types of
curriculum.

Reported grade average.--Data on average grade in
high school were based or average letter mark during
the 9th to 12th grades as reported by the student
himself in the February 1967 followup.

Major acti sl the February 1967 follow-up
questionnaire, the high school seniors who either had
not graduated from high schoolor, if theyhad graduated,
had not attended college, were asked which of the
following was their major activity in October 1966:
working, looking for work, keeping house, in Armed
Forces, attending school, or other. In this report,
those looking for work and keeping house are included
in the “other” category.

Marital status,--Current marital status at the time
of the February 1967 follow-up survey was asked of
high school graduates. The “single” category refers
to those who were never married.

Head of household.--One person in each household
is designated as the “head.” The number of heads,
therefore, is equal to the number of households. The


_Of all the male 1965 high school seniors who did not
attend college, 22 percent reported that they were in
thé Armed Forces in October 1966 (table 5).

Table 5.--MAJOR ACTIVITY IN OCTOBER 1966 OF THE OCTOBER
1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO DID NOT ATTEND COL-

LEGE, By SEX (Numbers in thousands)

Did not attend college
Major activity and Did not

sex Total |graduate fre igh

reporting Prop eh ‘school
Both sexeS.e.sseseeee] 1,608 22. 1,388
Percent... 100.0 | 100.0 200.0
Workings. ......e «| 5L9 31.3 55.2
In Armed Forces 10.6 16.4 9.7
Attending school... | 216 29.4 20.3
Other activity... 15.2 21.2 14.2
Not reported... 0.7 1.8 0.5
Malessseeseeee 767 133 634,
Percent 100.0 (B) |. 100.0
52.4 (B) 57.5
21.6 (B) 21.0
Attending school... 18.8 (B) 15.7
Other activity..... 6.7 (B) 5.5
Not reported... 0.5 (B) 0.3
eal 88 754
100.0 (B) 100.0
51.5 (B) 53.3
0.6 (B) 0.2
24,1 (B) 24.3
Other activity... 22.9 (B) 21.6
Not reported. 0.9 (B) 0.7

B Base less than 150,000.

FACTORS RELATED TO COLLEGE ATTENDANCE

By February 1967, 47 percent of the October 1965
high school seniors who graduated from high school
had attended college at some time since their high school
graduation. An analysis of rates of college attendance
in relationship to the graduates’ demographic character-
istics, family backgrounds, college plans, and academic
backgrounds shows differences among population groups
in the percentage of graduates who did or did not
attend college.

Demographic characteristics.--The high school
graduates who resided in metropolitan areas inOctober
1965 were more likely to attend college than were
those who resided in nonmetropolitan areas. Of those
who resided in the metropolitan areas, 51 percent
attended college, but only 40 percent of those who
resided in nonmetropolitan areas attended college.
The male graduates were more likely to attend college
than were the female graduates--52 percent of the male
graduates attended college compared with 42 percent
of the female graduates. Age was also an important
variable in relation to college attendance. Of those
high school graduates who were 18 years old and over
in 1965 when they were seniors, only 23 percent had
attended any college by February 1967; but of those

5

graduates who were 17 years old in 1965, the modal
age of the October 1965 high school seniors, 50 percent
went on to college; and 62 percent of those graduates
who were under 17 when they were seniors in 1965
went on to college. The seniors who were under 17 in
1965 were younger than the average senior, and their
advanced scholastic achievement is further reflected
in the large proportion who went on to college. Race
was also an important factor in relation to college
attendance--nearly half of the white high school gradu-
ates attended college compared with only one-third of
the Negro high school graduates (table 6).

Toble 6.--COLLEGE ATTENDANCE BY FEBRUARY 1967 OF
OCTOBER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO GRADU-
ATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BY SELECTED DEMO-
GRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

High school seniors in Octo-
ver 1965 who graduated
from high school
Residence, age, race,
, 8ge, Trace, Percent who-=
and sex Number
reporting Did not
(thous.) | A&¥ense4) attena
88° | college
RESIDENCE IN 1965
2,613 46.9 53,1
1,613 50.9 49,1
el 53.4 46.6
m2 49,2 50.8
Nonmetropolitan..........] 1,000 40.4 59.6
AGE IN 1965
2,613 46.9 53.1
Under 17 years... 391 62.2 37.8.
17 years...... tee 1,775 49.6 50.4
18 years and over,, 407 22.7 77,3
RACE
2,613 46.9 53.1
2,342 48.1 51.9
271 36.6 63.4
234 3.8 65.2
2,613 46.9 53.1
1,315 51.8 48.2
1,298 41.9 58.1
1,315 51.8 48.2
1,258 53.7 46.3
i 48 (8) (B)
Widowed, divorced, or
separated... - - -
Not reported 9 (3) (B)
Female......4 1,298 41.9 58,1
Single. 1,113 46.7 53.3
Married....... 178 ng 88.1
Widowed, divorced, or
separated.. = 7 7
Not reported 7 (8) (B)

- Represents zero, B Base less than 150,000,


4

Table 2.-GRADUATION STATUS IN FEBRUARY 1967 OF OCTO-
BER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, BY EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
OF THEIR PARENTS

High school seniors in
October 1965
Father's and mother's
educational level Number Percent who--
reporting} Gradu- | Did not
(thous-) | “ated | graduate
FATHER'S EDUCATIONAL
LEVEL
Total.....seeeeee 2,833 92.2 1.8
Less than 8 years...... 85.4 U6
Elem, 8 to high school 3. 862 94.9 51
High school: 4 years... 746 96.0 4.0
College: 1 to 3 years... 306 96.5 35
4 years or more, 296 | 1 5.9
Not reported. sees 331 77.0 23.0
MOTHER'S EDUCATIONAL
LEVEL
seve] 2,833 92.2 1.8
- 2h 87.5 12.5
Elem, 8 to high school 3, 17 92:0 8.0
High school: 4 years. 1,106 96.2 38
College: 1 to 3 years., 233 m1 2.9
4 years or more, 165 94.5 5.5
Not reported......sseeee : 288 76.4 23.6
FATHER'S AND MOTHER'S
EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
2,833 92.2 7.8
398 96:0 4.0
270 95.5 45
Father no college., uz {3} (B)
Not reported........+06 10 B (B)
Mother no college or not
reported.......es. seseal 2,436 91.6 8.4
Father some college... 332 95.2 48
Father no college......| 1,782 93.6 6.4
Not reported.........0. 321 76.7 23.3

B Base less than 150,000,

education for only two more years, were not as likely
to graduate from high school as were those seniors
who planned to go to college at a 4-year institution,
Only 2 percent of those seniors who planned to attend
college, but not a junior college, failed to graduate
from high school, whereas, 8 percent of those seniors
who planned to attend only a junior college did not
graduate from high school (table 4).

Major activity of the seniors who did not attend

attend college reported that their major activity in
October 1966 was attending school. This was true for
20 percent of those who graduated from high school
and for 29 percent of those who did not graduate from
high school. These students who reported that their
major activity was attending school could either still
have been enrolled in a regular high school in October
1966 or they could have been enrolled in some special
school, such as a business, technical, or trade school.

Table 3.--GRADUATION STATUS IN FEBRUARY 1967 OF OCTO-
BER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, BY SELECTED ECONOMIC
CHARACTERISTICS

High school seniors in
October 1965
Occupation of household
head and family income | Number Percent who--
reporting! Gréau- | Did not
(thous.) | “ated | graduate
BROAD OCCUPATION GROUP
OF HOUSEHOLD HEAD?
sesecee] 2,833 92.2 7.8
tesccneceenee| 2,562 92.5 2.5
White-collar worker....| 1,029 94.3 5.7
Manual or service wkr..| 1,371 91.0 9.0
Farm worker. Le 94.2 5.8
Unemployed or
civilian labor force 237 88.7 11.3
Not reported.. . 34 (B) (B)
FAMILY INCOME?
a
2,833 92.2 7.8
309 86.8 13.2
192 87.0 13.0
524 93.1 6.9
393 93.3 6.7
521 94.1. 5.9
$10,000 to $14,999. 508 93.7 6.3
$15,000 and over, 169 94.7 5.3
Not reported....ss+eseeee 218 90.2 9.8

B Base less than 150,000,
cupation reported in October 1965,
2Income for the 12 months preceding October 1965,

Table 4.--GRADUATION STATUS IN FEBRUARY 1967 OF OCTO-
BER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, BY COLLEGE PLANS

college.--In the follow-up questionnaire of February

, the 1965 high school seniors who did not attend
college were asked what their major activity was in
October 1966, that is, the year after they were seniors
in high school. Among those who had graduated from
high school, over half (55 percent) reported that their
major activity in October 1966 was working. But
among those seniors who had not graduated from high
school, only 31 percent reported that working was their
major activity, Many of the 1965 seniors who did not

High school seniors in
October 1965
College plens in 1965

Number Percent who--
~ [EGRSREN® | radu- | Dia not
. ated graduate
Total...sseee- . 2,833 7.8
Planned to attend... 1,624 3.9
349 3
909 19
367 45

Did not plan to

undecided!....scceeeeeee] 2,209 | 87.0 13.0

Includes those who did not report on college plans.

_


~ Table 9.--COLLEGE ATTENDANCE BY FEBRUARY 1967 OF OCTOBER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO
GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BY COLLEGE PLANS

High school seniors in October 1965 who
graduated from high school
College plans in 1965 Number Percent who--
reporting Attended college Did not
(thousands) attend
Total 2ayear 4-year college
2,613 46.9 16,0 30.8 53.2
ents 1,561 69.6 22.2 414 30.4
Junior college only... ss... 320 36.8 33,1 3.7 63.2
4nyear college onl¥.......05 91 82.6 94 73.3 17.4
Both junior and 4-year
COLLEEE. veeeeeereeeerereeee 350 66.4 44,9 21.4 33.6
Did not plan to attend or
undecdded?,.........sseseeeee 1,051 13,1 6.9 6.3 86,9
Includes those who did not report on college plans.
gone to college by February 1967. If the high school PROCEDURES

graduate was enrolled in the college preparatory

curriculum in high school, he was much more likely

to attend college than if he were studying some other

curriculum--78 percent of the graduates in the college

preparatory curriculum went on to college whereas

only 22 percent of those in other curriculums had
- gone on to college (table 10).

c—

Table 10.--COLLEGE ATTENDANCE BY FEBRUARY 1967
OF OCTOBER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO GRAD-
UATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BY HIGH SCHOOL CUR-
RICULUM AND REPORTED GRADE AVERAGE IN HIGH

SCHOOL
High school seniors in Octo-
‘ber 1965 who graduated
from high school
High school curriculum
‘and grade average Number Percent who--
. reporting Did not
(thous.) | Attended) ‘attend
8° | college
HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Total....seeseee 2,613 46.9 53.1
College preparatory. 1,164 78.0 22.0
Conmercial...... 315 12,5 87.5
Vocational........ 202 14.9 85.2
General and other, 882 27,5 RS
Not reported... 49 (B) (8)
REPORTED GRADE AVERAGE
IN HIGH SCHOOL
Totalecseseeeeeeeeeee| 2,623 46.9 53.1
210 Bl 24.9
1,133 51.4 48.6
413 48.0 52.0
seseteeees 622 36.4 63.6
below... 178 25.7 V3
Not reported... 56 (B) (B)

7B Base less than 150,000,

This study was designed as a supplement to the
October 1965 Current Population Survey (CPS). In the
October 1965 CPS, the following information was
obtained concerning the high school seniors: residence,
age, sex, mother’s educational level, occupation of
household head, and family income.

A supplemental questionnaire left with the mothers
of the high school seniors in October 1965 obtained
information on their fathers’ education, Another
supplemental questionnaire left with the seniors in
October 1965 obtained data on their college plans. In
February 1967, a follow-up questionnaire was sent to
the seniors to obtain information on whether or not
they had graduated from high school and, for the
graduates, whether or not they had attended college
at any time since completing high school. In addition,
information was obtained from those who had graduated
from high school on their high school curriculum,
average grade in high school, and marital status;
information was obtained on major activity in October
1964 *rom those who did not graduate from high school.

RELATED REPORTS

Data on the college plans and personal and family
characteristics of high school seniors in October 1959
were presented in “Educational Status, College Plans,
and Occupational Status of Farm and Nonfarm Youths:
October 1959,” Farm Population, Series Census-ERS
(P-27), No. 30. ita on college attendance of high
school graduates were shown in “Factors Related to
College Attendance of Farm and Nonfarm High School
Graduates: 1960,” Farm Population, Series Census-
ERS (P-27), No. 32. se two studies were similar
in scope to the present study. General statistics on
school and college enrollment for October 1965, 1966,
1967 and 1968 were presented in Current Population
Reports, Series P-20, Nos. 162, 167, and 179, ri
spectively. The publication, “Characteristics of


CURRENT POPULATION REPORTS

e

Series P-20, No, 185
July 11, 1969.

FACTORS RELATED TO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND
COLLEGE ATTENDANCE: 1967

Percent of High School Graduates Who Attended College,
by Father’s Educational Attainment: 1967
Percent
100
os 90 fee
80;
70;-
60}-
50
40 }—
30;
20}-
10
0
Total Less than Eler tary 8 yrs. High School College
8 years to High School 4 years 1 to 3 years
3 years
Father’s educational attainment
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE / Bureau of the Census.



10

Reliability of the estimates.--Since the estimates
are based on a sample, they may differ somewhat from
the figure that would have been obtained if a complete
census had been taken using the same schedules,
instructions, and emumerators. As inany survey work,
the results are subject to errors of response and of
reporting as well as being subject to sampling
variability.

The standard error is primarily a measure of
sampling variability, that is, of the variations that
occur by chance because a sample rather thanthe whole
of the population is surveyed. As calculated for this
report, the standard error also partially measures the
effect of response and enumeration errors but does
not measure any systematic biases in the data. The
chances are about 68 out of 100 that an estimate from
the sample would differ from a complete census
figure by less than the standard error. The chances
are about 95 out of 100 that the difference would be
less than twice the standard error.

The reliability of an estimated percentage, computed
by using sample data for both numerator and de-
nominator, depends upon both the size of the percentage
and the size of the total upon which the percentage is
based, Estimated percentages are relatively more
reliable than the corresponding estimates of the numer-
ators of the percentages, particularly if the percentages

UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20402

orriciay Business

FIRST CLASS MAIL

are 50 percent or more. Table 11 contains the standard"
errors of estimated percentages.

Illustration of the use of table of standard errors.--
Table 1 of this report shows that 7.8 percent of October
1965 high school seniors did not graduate. Table 11
shows the standard error of 7.8 percent on a base of
2,833,000 to be approximately 0.7 percent. Conse-
quently, chances are 68 out of 100 that the estimated
7.8 percent would be within 0.7 percent of a complete
census figure, and chances are 95 out of 100 that the
estimate would be within 1.4 percent ofa census figure,
ie., this 95 percent confidence interval would be
between 6.4 and 9.2 percent.

Table 11.--STANDARD ERROR OF ESTIMATED PERCENTAGE
OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

(68 chances out of 100)

Base of estimated percentage (thousands)
Percentage 500 | 750 | 1,000] 2,

2,500] 3,000

PprreoO
Cub eu

4 U, 8, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1969—392-36172°~

POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE


~ head is usually the person regarded as the head by the
members of the group. Married women are not classi-
fied as heads if their husbands are living with them at
the time of the survey.

Years of school completed.--Data on years of
school completed were collected for parents of the
high school seniors. The data for mothers were
obtained from the Current Population Survey conducted
in October 1965, The data for fathers were obtained
from the supplemental questionnaire given to mothers
of seniors at the time of the 1965 survey.

Occupation.--The data on occupation are presented
for household heads and relate to the job held during

the survey week. Persons employed at two or more
jobs were classified in the job at which they worked
the greatest number of hours during the week.

The occupational categories used are combinations
of the major groups in the classification system used
in the 1960 Census of Population. “White-collar
workers” includes professional, technical, and kindred
workers; managers, officials, and proprietors, except
farm; clerical and kindred workers; and sales workers,
“Manual and service workers” includes craftsmen,
foremen, and kindred workers; operatives and kindred
workers; service workers; and laborers, except farm.
“Farm workers” includes farmers and farm managers
and farm laborers. The specific occupations composing
these groups are described in Volume II of the 1960
Census of Population.

Labor force and employment status. --The definitions
or force and employment status in this report

relate to the population 14 years old and over.

Employed.--Employed persons comprise (1) all
civilians who, during the specified week, did any work
at all as paid employees or in their own business or
profession, or on their own farm, or who worked 15
hours or more as unpaid workers on a farm or ina
business operated by a member of the family, and (2)
all those who were not working but who had jobs or
businesses from which they were temporarily absent
because of illness, bad weather, vacation, or labor-
management dispute, or because they were taking time
off for personal reasons, whether or not they were paid
by their employers for time off, and whether or not
they were seeking other jobs. Excluded from the
employed group are persons whose only activity con-
sisted of work around the house (such as own home
housework, painting or repairing own home, etc.) or
volunteer work for religious, charitable, and similar
organizations,

Unemployed.--Unemployed persons are those
civilians wi Somer furing the survey week, had no employ-
ment but were available for work and (1) had engaged
in any specific jobseeking activity within the past 4
weeks, such as registering at a public or private
employment office, meeting with prospective employers,
checking with friends or relatives, placing or answering
advertisements, writing letters of application, or being
on a union or professional register; (2) were waiting to

9

be called back to a job from which they had been laid
off; or (3) were waiting to report to a new wage or
salary job within 30 days.

Labor force.--Persons are classified as in the
labor force if they were employed as civilians, unem-
Ployed, or in the Armed Forces during the survey
week. The “civilian labor force” is comprised of all
civilians classified as employed or unemployed.

Not in the labor force,--All civilians who are not
classified as employed or unemployed are defined as
“not in the labor force.” This group who are neither
employed nor seeking work includes persons engaged
only in own home housework, attending school, or
unable to work because of long-term physicalor mental
illness; persons who are retired or too old to work,
seasonal workers for whom the survey week fell in an
off season, and the voluntarily idle. Persons doing
only unpaid family work (less than 15 hours) are also
classified as not in the labor force,

Family income.--Income as defined in this report
represents the combined total money income of the
family, before deductions for personal taxes, social
security, bonds, etc. It is the sum of money wages
and salaries, net income from self-employment, and
income other than earnings received by all family
members during the 12 months prior to the October
1965 survey.

Rounding of estimates.--Individual figures are
rounded to the nearest thousand without being adjusted
to group totals, which are independently rounded.
Percentages are based on the unrounded absolute

numbers,
SOURCE AND RELIABILITY OF THE ESTIMATES

Source of data.--The estimates are based on data
obtained from high school seniors and their families
in the October 1965 Current Population Survey of the
Bureau of the Census. In February 1967, a follow-up
questionnaire to these same high school seniors obtained
information on their high school graduation and sub-
sequent college enrollment. The October 1965 sample
was spread over 357 areas comprising 701 counties
and independent cities with coverage in each of the 50
States and the District of Columbia. Approximately
35,000 occupied housing units were designated for inter-
view at that time. Of this number about 1,500 occupied
units were visited but interviews were not obtained
because the occupants were not found at home after
repeated calls or were unavailable for some other
reason, In addition to the 35,000, there were also
about 5,000 sample units which were visited but were
found to be vacant or otherwise not to be interviewed.

The estimating procedure used in this survey
involves the inflation of the weighted sample results to
independent estimates of the civilian noninstitutional
population of the United States by age, color, and sex.
These independent estimates are based on statistics
from the 1960 Census of Population; statistics of
births, deaths, immigration and emigration; and sta-
tistics on the strength of the Armed Forces.


Family packgroung.--The educational level of the
high school graduate’s parents, the occupation of his
household head, and his family’s income are all related
to college attendance just as they were related to high
school graduation, Among the high school graduates
whose father was a college graduate, 82 percent went
to college compared with 54 percent of the graduates
whose father was only a high school graduate, and 22
Percent of those whose father had not: completed
elementary school, Similarly, among the graduates
whose mother had completed some years of college 82
percent went to college compared with 53 percent whose
mother was only a high school graduate and 19 percent
of those whose mother had not completed elementary
school (table 7), Among the graduates whose house-
hold head was a white-collar worker, 64 percent went
on to college, but among those whose household head
was a manual or service worker only 37 percent went
on to college. A comparison by family income shows

Table 7.--COLLEGE ATTENDANCE BY FEBRUARY 1967 OF
OCTOBER 1965 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO GRADU-
ATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BY EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
OF THEIR PARENTS

High school seniors in Octo-
ber 1965 who graduated
from high school
Father's and mother's
. Percent who--
educational level Number
reporting | | Did not
(thous.)”] ooiteae | attend
college
FATHER'S EDUCATIONAL
LEVEL
Total....... ve] 2,613 46.9 53.1
Less than 8 years........ 249 22.2 77.8
Elem, 8 to high school 3, 818 35.0 65.0
High school: 4 years... n? 53.6 46.4
College: 1 to 3 years... 295 62:5 37.5
4 years or more, 279 82.4 176
Not reported...... deeeees 255 33.3 66.7
MOTHER'S EDUCATIONAL
LEVEL
Total. 2,613 46.9 53,1
Less than & 24 19.1 80.9
Elen, 8 to high s : 733 33.1 66.9
High school: 4 years.....| 1,063 53.1 46.9
College: 1 to 3 years... 226 82.7 17.3
4 years or more, 156 81.3 18.7
Not reported........ tees 220 28.6 Ths
FATHER'S AND MOTHER'S
EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
Totel..s.cesesesseeee] 2,623 46.9 53.1
Mother sone college 382 82,2 17.8
Father some college 258 86.4 13.6
Father no college, 15 (B (8
Not reported......, 8 (B) B
Mother no college or not
Teported...ceeeeeseseeee| 2,232 40.8 59.2
Father some college... 316 60.5 39.5
Father no college 1, 668 38.6 61.4
Not reported... 247 30 69.0

B Base less than 150,000,

that a high family income is associated with likelihood
of college attendance. Among those graduates whose
family income was $15,000 or more, 87 percent went
to college compared with 52 percent of those whose
income was between $6,000 and $14,999, 36 percent
of those whose family income was between $3,000 and
$5,999, and 20 percent of those whose family income
was under $3,000 (table 8),

Table 8.--COLLEGE ATTENDANCE BY FEBRUARY 1967 OF
OCTOBER 1965. HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO GRADU-
ATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BY SELECTED ECONOMIC

CHARACTERISTICS
High school seniors in Octo-
ber 1965 who graduated
from high school
Occupation of household
Percent who--
head and family income | yoper
reporting Did not
(thous.) | A&¥ended) setena
8° | college
BROAD OCCUPATION GROUP
OF HOUSEHOLD HEAD?
2,613 46.9 53.1
2,370 48.0 52.0
970 1 35.9
1,247 36.9 63,1
seseeee 152 36.1 63.9
Unemployed or not in
civilian labor force... 210 31.2 68.8
_ Not reported......... sees 32 (B) (B)
‘FAMILY INCOME?
2,613 46.9 53.1
268 19.8 80,2
$3,000 to $3,999, 167 32.3 67.7
$4,000 to $5,999, 488 36.9 63.1
$6,000 to $7,499, 367 41.2 58.9
$7,500 to $9,999, 490 51.0 49.0
$10,000 to $14,999, . 477 61.3 38.7
$15,000 and over... 160 86.7 13.3
Not reported... 196 54,1 45.9

B Base less than 150,000,
cupation reported in October 1965,
Income for the 12 months preceding October 1965.

College _plans.--Among high school graduates who
Planned to attend college, 70 percent had attended some
college by February 1967, but 30 percent of those who
Planned to attend had not done so. Among those who
Planned to attend college at the junior college level
only, 37 percent went on to college compared with 83
percent of those who planned to attend at the university
level only. Around 13 percent of the graduates who
either did not plan to attend college or were undecided
on their college plans when they were seniors had
attended some college by February 1967 (table 9).

High school grades and curriculum,--High school
grades and curriculum are related to later college
attendance. Among those graduates whose reported
grade average in high school was C+ or higher, 53
percent went to college, but only 34 percent of those

whose reported grade average was C or below had


8. High family income is associated with the likelihood of college attendance, Of
those high school graduates who were from families whose income was $15,000 or more,
87 percent went on to college,

9. Around half of those graduates whose grade average in high school was C+
or higher went on to college compared with only around one-third of those with a grade
average of C or below.

The first part of the report describes the graduation status in 1967 of the 1965 high
school seniors with emphasis on the characteristics associated with either graduating
or failing to graduate from high school, The factors considered in connection with
graduation status are metropolitan-nonmetropolitan residence, age, race, sex, college
plans, father’s education, mother’s education, occupation of household head, and family
income, The second part of the report is concerned with the association of these same
factors with college attendance among those who graduated from high school, plus the
senior’s high school curriculum and his reported high school grade average.

a


FACTORS RELATED TO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND
COLLEGE ATTENDANCE: 1967

This report is based on data collected in connection with the October 1965 Current
Population Survey on the social, economic, and demographic characteristics of high
school seniors and their families and in a follow-up questionnaire to these same high
school seniors in February 1967 which obtained information on their graduation from
high school and their subsequent college attendance. This study was a cooperative
project of the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Applied Social Research of Columbia
University, Some of the highlights of the report are:

1, All but 8 percent of the high school seniors in October 1965 had graduated
from high school by February 1967,

2, Senior girls were more likely to finish their senior year of high school than

were senior boys,

3, Among seniors whose father had not completed elementary school, 15 percent
Maia not finish their senior year of high school compared with only 5 percent of those
whose father had at least an elementary school education,

4, Among seniors whose family income was under $4,000, 13 percent failed to
graduate from high school compared with only 6 percent of those whose family income
was higher.

5. By February 1967, 47 percent of the October 1965 high school seniors who
graduated from high school had gone on to college.

6. Male high school graduates were more likely to attend college than were
female graduates.

7, Among high school graduates whose father was a college graduate, 82 percent
went on to college compared with only 22percent of those whose father had not completed
elementary school,

This report was prepared by Charles E. Johnson, Jr., and Aurora A. Zappolo of the
jy Sducation and Social Stratification Branch, Population Division.


CONTENTS

Page
Introduction 2... 0. eee ee ee tee ee eee et Eee ee 1
Factors related to high school Braduation. 3
Factors related to college attendance . 5
Procedures. . 7
Related reports . 7
Definitions and explanations. . . oe oe oe oe . . . . 8
Source and reliability of the estimates... 6... 1. ee ee eee tee ee tenes 9
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1,--Graduation status in February 1967 of October 1965 high school seniors, by selected
demographic characteristics... 1. see eee eee e eee eee eee eect nee e re eeneene 3
2,--Graduation status in February 1967 of October 1965 high ‘school seniors, by educational
level of their parents... 1... ee eee eee eee ere ene eee eee eeee eens eee 4
3,--Graduation status in February 1967 of October ‘196s high school seniors, by selected
economic characteristics . . beer eee ere reese ee esene 4_
4 Graduation status in February ‘1967 of October 1965 school seniors, by college plans . a
5,--Major activity in October 1966 of the October 1965 high school seniors who did not attend ‘
college, by SCX. eee ee ee tee eee eee e rete eee e cere eer nres bee ewneee 5
6,--College attendance by February 1967 of October 1965 high school seniors ‘who ‘graduated
from high school, by selected demographic characteristics. ........2+++seeeeee see 5
7,--College attendance by February 1967 of October 1965 high school seniors who graduated
from high school, by educational level of their parents.........++e eee eeeeeceeeee 6
8.--College attendance by February 1967 of October 1965 high school seniors ‘who graduated
from high school, by selected economic characteristics. .......eeeeeeeee wees 6
9,--College attendance by February 1967 of October 1965 high school seniors who ‘graduated
from high school, by college plans... .. eee eee etree rete ee terete tee eeee . 7
10,--College attendance by February 1967 of October ‘1965 high school seniors ‘who ‘graduated
from high school, by high school curriculum and reported grade average in high school... . 7
11,--Standard error of estimated percentage of high school seniors ...... seeeee beeen enee 10

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