A Profile of the 

American High School 

Senior in 2004: 

A First Look 

Initial Results From the First 

Follow-up of the Education 

Longitudinal Study of 2002 

(ELS:2002) 

E.D. TAB

U.S. Department of Education 

Institute of Education Sciences 

NCES 2006–348 

A Profile of the 

American High School 

Senior in 2004: 

A First Look 

Initial Results From the First 

Follow-up of the Education 

Longitudinal Study of 2002 

(ELS:2002) 

E.D. TAB

October 2005

U.S. Department of Education 

Institute of Education Sciences 

NCES 2006–348 

Steven J. Ingels

Michael Planty 

Robert Bozick 

RTI International

Jeffrey A. Owings 

Project Officer 

National Center for Education Statistics 
U.S. Department of Education

Margaret Spellings 

Secretary

Institute of Education Sciences 

Grover J. Whitehurst 

Director

National Center for Education Statistics

Grover J. Whitehurst 

Acting Commissioner

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October 2005 

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Suggested Citation 

Ingels, S.J., Planty, M., and Bozick, R. (2005). A Profile of the American High School Senior in 2004: A First Look—

Initial Results From the First Follow-up of the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002) (NCES 2006–348). 

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government 

Printing Office. 

For ordering information on this report, write to 

U.S. Department of Education 

ED Pubs 

P.O. Box 1398 

Jessup, MD 20794-1398 

or call toll free 1-877-4ED-Pubs or order online at http://www.edpubs.org

Content Contact

Jeffrey A. Owings 

(202) 502–7423 

Jeffrey.Owings@ed.gov
iii

Foreword 

The Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002) provides a wealth of information 

from multiple sources about the factors and circumstances related to the performance and social 

development of the American high school student over time. This E.D. TAB profiles American 

high school seniors in the 2003–04 school year. The report supplies a brief examination of four 

aspects of the individual and educational characteristics of 2004 seniors: seniors’ tested 

achievement in mathematics; their expectations for future educational attainment; the features of 

postsecondary institutions that are most important to them in selecting a college; and life goals 

and values associated with education, work, family, friends, community, and society. The 

appendix provides a comprehensive description of the ELS:2002 design for data users, in 

addition to outlining its research capabilities for addressing key research questions. 

We hope that the information provided in this report will be useful to a wide range of 

interested readers, including policymakers and educators. We further hope that the results 

reported here will encourage other researchers to use the ELS:2002 data. 

Jeffrey A. Owings, Associate Commissioner

Elementary/Secondary & Libraries Studies 

v

Acknowledgments 

A number of people contributed to the production of this E.D. TAB, and many more to 

the development of the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002) more generally. In 

particular, we wish to thank Marilyn Seastrom, Jeffrey A. Owings, John Wirt, and Larry Ogle 

from NCES, and Duc-Le To from the Institute of Education Sciences, for the quality of their 

input into this document. 

We also would like to acknowledge the role of the ELS:2002 Technical Review Panel, 

whose members reviewed plans for the ELS:2002 data collection, helped refine them, and 

provided important suggestions to help guide development of the instrumentation. The following 

individuals serve as members of the Technical Review Panel: Marco Clark, Richard Duran, 

Jeremy Finn, Thomas B. Hoffer, Sally Kilgore, Richard Lawrence, Samuel R. Lucas, Aaron 

Pallas, and Andy Rogers. 

Special thanks are in order to Jeffrey A. Owings, Project Officer and NCES Associate 

Commissioner of Elementary/Secondary & Libraries Studies, in whose division ELS:2002 is 

housed. Other NCES staff who have provided help, support, and assistance include Kathryn 

Chandler, Wilma Greene, Lisa Hudson, Paula Knepper, Mariann Lemke, Edith McArthur, and 

Peggy Quinn. Staff elsewhere in the U.S. Department of Education whose help we gratefully 

acknowledge are Clifford Adelman, Sharon Belli, Jeffery Rodamar, and Marsha Silverberg. 

Individuals elsewhere who have provided major assistance include Leslie A. Scott of ESSI and 

Denise Davis, formerly of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. 

Daniel J. Pratt of RTI served as the ELS:2002 base-year and first follow-up project 

director. Steven J. Ingels of RTI was principal investigator. Key RTI task leaders were Ellen 

Stutts (associate project director), Debbie Herget (first follow-up in-school and field data 

collection), Doug Currivan (first follow-up out-of-school computer-assisted telephone interview 

[CATI] data collection), James Rogers (data processing), and Peter Siegel (sampling and 

statistics). Other RTI staff who played major roles in ELS:2002 were Christopher Alexander, 

Kimberly Ault, Stephen Black, Laura J. Burns, Debbie Capps, James Chromy, Elizabeth 

Copello, Marianne Daye, D. Wesley Dukes, Brian Evans, Catherine Forstner, Sherry HubbardBednasz, Ruby Johnson, Tiffany Lytle, Mani Medarametla, Melanie Pressley, Denise Rhatigan, 

Helen Smith, Milorad Stojanovic, David Wilson, and Donghui Wang. Test development, scaling, 

and equating were conducted by Judith M. Pollack, Donald A. Rock, and Michelle Najarian, 

under a subcontract with Educational Testing Service. 

Document preparation, editorial, and graphics support for this E.D. TAB were provided, 

respectively, by Lawanda King, Wallace Campbell, and Diane Caudill of RTI. 

vii

Contents 

Foreword ........................................................................................................................................iii 

Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... v 

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix 

List of Figures................................................................................................................................ xi 

Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 

Selected Findings............................................................................................................................ 5 

References ....................................................................................................................................... 9 

Tables............................................................................................................................................ 11 

Figures........................................................................................................................................... 37 

Appendix A Technical Notes and Glossary.................................................................................. 41 

Appendix B Standard Error Tables............................................................................................... 67 

ix

List of Tables 

Table Page

1 Percentage of high school seniors, by selected student characteristics: 2004.......... 11 

2 Percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of specific 

mathematics knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics: 2004......... 13 

3 Percentage of high school seniors, by expected level of educational attainment 

and selected student characteristics: 2004................................................................ 16 

4 Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features 

of postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, 

by selected student characteristics: 2004.................................................................. 18 

5 Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related 

to education and work were “very important” to them, by selected student 

characteristics: 2004 ................................................................................................. 27 

6 Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related 

to family and friends were “very important” to them, by selected student 

characteristics: 2004 ................................................................................................. 30 

7 Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related 

to community and society were “very important” to them, by selected student 

characteristics: 2004 ................................................................................................. 33 

List of Tables in Appendix A

A-1 ELS:2002 imputation variables: 2002 ...................................................................... 51 

A-2 Unweighted school sampling and eligibility, and unweighted and weighted 

participation, by sampling stratum: 2002 ................................................................. 52 

A-3 Summary of ELS:2002 base-year completion and coverage rates: 2002................. 53 

A-4 Summary of ELS:2002 first follow-up completion and coverage rates: 2004......... 53 

A-5 Questionnaire completion rate for ELS:2002 senior cohort: 2004........................... 53 

A-6 Weighted senior cohort response rates for unimputed variables used in this 

report: 2004 .............................................................................................................. 54 

A-7 ELS:2002 item response theory (IRT) NELS:88-equated estimated numberright score and proficiency probability scores: 2004 ............................................... 62 
List of Tables

x

List of Tables in Appendix B 

Table Page

B-1 Standard errors for table 1 estimates (percentage of high school seniors, by 

selected student characteristics): 2004 ..................................................................... 69 

B-2 Standard errors for table 2 estimates (percentage of high school seniors 

demonstrating mastery of specific mathematics knowledge and skills, by 

selected student characteristics): 2004 ..................................................................... 71 

B-3 Standard errors for table 3 estimates (percentage of high school seniors, by 

expected level of educational attainment and selected student characteristics): 

2004 .......................................................................................................................... 75 

B-4 Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school 

seniors who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very 

important” to their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 

2004 .......................................................................................................................... 77 

B-5 Standard errors for table 5 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who 

reported that various life values related to education and work were “very 

important” to them, by selected student characteristics): 2004................................ 86 

B-6 Standard errors for table 6 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who 

reported that various life values related to family and friends were “very 

important” to them, by selected student characteristics): 2004................................ 89 

B-7 Standard errors for table 7 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who 

reported that various life values related to community and society were “very 

important” to them, by selected student characteristics): 2004................................ 92 

B-8 Standard errors for figure 2 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school 

seniors, by various features of postsecondary institutions rated “very important” 

to their choice of a college): 2004 ............................................................................ 95 
xi

List of Figures 

Figure Page

1 Percentage of high school seniors, by mathematics mastery level: 2004................. 37 

2 Percentage of college-bound high school seniors, by various features of 

postsecondary institutions rated “very important” to their choice of a 

college: 2004 ............................................................................................................ 38 

3 Percentage of high school seniors, by various life values rated “very important” 

to them: 2004............................................................................................................ 39 

1

Introduction 

This report profiles the American high school senior of 2004 using data from the 

Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), the most recent secondary school 

longitudinal study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). ELS:2002 

began with a nationally representative sample of 10th-graders in public and private schools in the 

United States in 2002. The 2002 sophomore cohort was surveyed again in the spring of 2004 

when most of the sample members were high school seniors. This sample was “freshened” with a 

sample of spring 2004 seniors who were not high school sophomores or were not in the United 

States in the spring of 2002. This population provides a nationally representative sample of the 

2004 senior class, which is the focus of this report. This report is the third in a series of reports 

profiling contemporary American high school students. The first two reports in the series, The 

High School Sophomore Class of 2002: A Demographic Description—First Results From the 

Base Year of the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (NCES 2004–371) (Ingels and Scott 

2004) and A Profile of the American High School Sophomore in 2002: Initial Results From the 

Base Year of the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (NCES 2005–338) (Ingels, Burns et al. 

2005), profiled American high school sophomores. 

Focus of This Report 

Completion of high school is a major milestone for adolescents. It is also a point of 

normative transition, with most students proceeding directly to postsecondary education or 

training and others entering the labor market. As Entwisle (1990) observes, the end of high 

school is “the first of a series of life events marking the transition into adulthood.” Although the 

senior year of high school represents the culmination of what is typically a program of a dozen 

years of elementary and secondary schooling, it also marks a fundamental crossroads, wherein 

youths make choices about their future. After high school graduation, some seniors will 

immediately enter the workforce or the military. Some will start families. Many will go directly 

into postsecondary education (some 79 percent of the senior cohort expected to go directly from 

high school to a postsecondary institution [data not shown]).1

 The choice to follow the path of 

further education itself involves many additional choices—choices that reflect the considerable 

heterogeneity of American postsecondary education. These decisions, moreover, may be both 

influenced and constrained by a variety of factors, including educational expectations, available 

financial resources, and quality of academic preparation and performance in high school. 

This report focuses on four aspects of the high school seniors in the spring term of their 

final year of high school in 2004. One focus is tested achievement. How proficient are the 

nation’s high school seniors in mathematics? A second focus is educational expectations. How 

much more education do the nation’s high school seniors expect to achieve? A third focus, for 

the college-bound majority of the cohort, is the factors they deem most important in choosing a 

postsecondary institution. What matters most to high school seniors in selecting a college? A 

fourth and final focus is their life goals or values. How important to high school seniors are 

 

1

 Another 7 percent stated that they did not know what they would do, while 13 percent indicated that they would not 

go directly to postsecondary education. All percents are weighted and based on the variable F1S45.
Introduction

2

various aspects of education, work, and leisure? How do they rate the importance of various life 

values related to family and friendships, or community and society? 

The analyses presented in the report are based on about 13,420 high school seniors, 

representing a population of about 3 million seniors in public and private schools in 2004. The 

data provided on each of these topics are further examined by selected student characteristics. 

The characteristics examined in this report are 

• sex; 

• age; 

• race/ethnicity (American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific 

Islander; Black or African American; Hispanic or Latino; White; and More than one 

race. All race categories exclude individuals of Hispanic or Latino origin.); 

• native language (English, non-English); 

• family composition (mother and father, mother or father and guardian, single parent, 

other); 

• parents’ education (high school or less, some college, college graduation, 

graduate/professional degree); 

• socioeconomic status (lowest quarter, middle two quarters, highest quarter); 

• highest mathematics coursework (pre-algebra or lower, algebra 1, geometry, 

algebra 2, trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus); 

• student’s educational expectations (high school or less, some college, college 

graduation, graduate/professional degree); 

• mathematics achievement test (lowest quarter, middle two quarters, highest quarter); 

• school sector (public, Catholic, other private, transfer2

); and 

• school urbanicity (urban, suburban, rural, transfer3

). 

To set the stage for describing America's high school seniors in 2004, it is of interest to 

note that 2 years after their spring-term 2002 interview, the following spring-term 2004 

enrollment statuses were recorded for the sophomore class of 2002 (weighted percentages): 

• Nearly 80 percent were still enrolled in their base-year school. 

• About 8 percent had transferred to another school. 

• Nearly 5 percent graduated early or earned a General Education Development (GED) 

diploma prior to March 15, 2004. 

 

2

 School information for students who transferred out of their base-year school was not available in the first follow-up 

survey. 

3

 School information for students who transferred out of their base-year school was not available in the first follow-up 

survey. 
Introduction

3 

• Almost 7 percent had left school as dropouts. 

• About one-third of 1 percent were being homeschooled. 

This analysis focuses on those students who either remained in their base-year school or 

transferred, but were in the 12th grade in 2004. Dropouts, early graduates, homeschoolers, and 

students who were not in the 12th grade were excluded from the analysis. 

About the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002) 

NCES is involved in research on the development and critical transitions experienced by 

students as they proceed through high school and into postsecondary education and the labor 

market. ELS:2002 is a longitudinal study, starting with a nationally representative sample of 

10th-graders in public and private schools in the United States in 2002. The 2002 sophomore 

cohort was surveyed again in the spring of 2004 when most of the sample members were high 

school seniors. The ELS:2002 base-year and first follow-up studies are described briefly below. 

Base-Year Design 

The ELS:2002 base-year study was carried out in a nationally representative probability 

sample of about 750 public, Catholic, and other private schools in the spring term of the 2001–02 

school year. Of 17,590 eligible selected sophomores, 15,360 completed a base-year 

questionnaire. The weighted response rate for student questionnaire completion was 87.3 

percent. Of the 15,360 student questionnaire completers, 14,540 (95.1 percent, weighted) also 

completed cognitive assessments in mathematics and reading. A nonresponse bias analysis was 

performed to ensure that any identified biases were small and the data could be used with 

confidence. Missing data for key questionnaire and test variables were imputed. Further details 

of the school-level response rate, bias analysis, and base-year design are provided in appendix A 

(see also Ingels, Pratt et al. 2005). 

First Follow-up Design 

The basis for the 2004 first follow-up sample was the sample of schools and students 

studied in the ELS:2002 base year. Base-year students were surveyed whether they were in the 

base-year school, in a new school, or out of school (early graduate or dropout). Two additional 

sets of students were included in the first follow-up survey: freshened and base-year 

nonrespondents. Freshened students are 2004 seniors who were not sophomores in 2002.4

 To 

ensure that a nationally representative sample of high school seniors was selected, these students 

were given a chance for selection in the first follow-up. This analysis focuses on the subset of 

2004 respondents who comprise the nationally representative sample of high school seniors in 

2004. Similar to the base-year design, the first follow-up included a student questionnaire and 

cognitive test in mathematics administered to each selected student.5

 High school seniors in the 

base-year schools were typically surveyed and tested in group sessions at their schools. Seniors 

who had transferred to another school were usually surveyed outside of the school setting. 

 

4

 In spring term 2002, such students may have been out of the country, been enrolled in school in the United States 

in a grade other than 10th, had an extended illness or injury, been homeschooled, been institutionalized, or 

temporarily dropped out of school. These students comprised the first follow-up “freshening sample.” 5

 The assessment was administered only to those first follow-up students who remained in their base-year school. 
Introduction

4

Although seniors who remained in their base-year schools were administered the mathematics 

assessment, transfer students were not. However, a math test score was imputed for the transfer 

students. The sample included about 14,250 seniors, of whom 13,420 participated, for a weighted 

response rate of 94.4 percent. Further details about the first follow-up response rates and data 

collection procedures are provided in appendix A (see also Ingels, Pratt et al. 2005). 

Methodology of the Report 

Comparisons drawn in the text of this report have been tested for statistical significance 

at the .05 level using t statistics to ensure that the differences are larger than those that might be 

expected due to sampling variation. Given large sample sizes, small differences with little or no 

practical or substantive significance may often be statistically significant. Since not all 

statistically significant differences are necessarily significant in substantive terms, other metrics, 

such as effect sizes, are employed in the report as a second criterion for reporting differences. In 

comparing test scores, the effect size is reported as the standardized difference in test score, 

which is expressed in terms of standard deviation units. A standardized difference of 0.2 is 

required for a difference to be reported. For proportions, a 5 percentage point difference between 

estimates is used to establish substantive significance. Additional information about the 

ELS:2002 history, purpose, sample design, weighting, and variable definitions is provided in 

appendix A. Appendix B presents the standard errors for the estimates. 

Finally, it is important to note that many of the variables examined in this report are 

related to one another, and complex interactions and relationships have not been explored here. 

The purpose of an E.D. TAB is to introduce new NCES surveys and data through the 

presentation of selected descriptive information in tabular format. More in-depth studies of the 

first follow-up data, using more sophisticated methodologies and focusing on a range of research 

questions and policy issues, will follow in the near future and by other researchers whose 

curiosity to dig deeper has been piqued by the associations reported in this report. 
5

Selected Findings 

This E.D. TAB presents national data on high school seniors in 2004. In particular, this 

report examines 12th-grade senior cohort tested achievement in mathematics, expected 

educational attainment, factors related to their choice of a postsecondary college (for collegebound seniors), and their life goals and values related to education, work, family, and 

community. These aspects are further examined by a select number of student characteristics. 

Background Characteristics of the High School Senior Class of 2004 

Table 1 summarizes selected sociodemographic and educational characteristics of the 

high school senior class of 2004. Various background characteristics and differences may 

influence the educational experiences, attainment, and expectations of students as they progress 

through high school and into postsecondary education and the workforce. 

• The ELS:2002 senior cohort consisted of 62 percent White, 15 percent Hispanic, 

13 percent Black, 5 percent Asian, and 1 percent American Indian/Alaska Native 

students (table 1). Another 4 percent of the senior class identified themselves by more 

than one racial/ethnic group. 

• Just over one-half of the senior cohort in 2004 were 18 years old at the time that they 

were surveyed (54 percent) (table 1). 

Mathematics Achievement 

The ELS:2002 first follow-up included an assessment of students’ performance in 

mathematics. The test was designed to measure the achievement status of 12th-graders at both 

the individual and group levels. This E.D. TAB employs a score that allows achievement to be 

understood in terms of specific levels of skill mastery. The math levels are (1) simple 

arithmetical operations with whole numbers; (2) simple operations with decimals, fractions, 

powers, and roots; (3) simple problem solving, requiring the understanding of low-level 

mathematical concepts; (4) understanding of intermediate-level mathematical concepts and/or 

multistep solutions to word problems; and (5) complex multistep word problems and/or 

advanced mathematics material. Table 2 summarizes these findings. 

• About 96 percent of the senior cohort in 2004 were able to perform simple 

arithmetical operations with whole numbers, and 79 percent were able to perform 

simple operations with decimals, fractions, roots, and powers (table 2 and figure 1). 

Some 62 percent were capable of simple problem solving in mathematics, and about a 

third (35 percent) showed an understanding of intermediate-level mathematical 

concepts. At the highest level, about 4 percent exhibited a mastery of complex 

multistep word problems and advanced mathematics. 
Selected Findings

6 

• Among the senior cohort in 2004, higher postsecondary educational expectations 

were associated with higher levels of math performance (table 2). However, 63 

percent of seniors who expected to earn a 4-year college degree and 47 percent of 

seniors who expected to earn a professional degree did not exhibit a mastery of 

level 4 (understanding of intermediate-level mathematics concepts). In fact, 32 

percent and 20 percent, respectively, had not mastered level 3 (simple problem 

solving requiring the understanding of low-level mathematical concepts). 

Educational Attainment: Seniors’ Expectations 

The ELS:2002 first follow-up survey asked seniors about their expectations for the 

amount of education they were likely to attain in their life. 

• Overall, about 69 percent of the senior cohort expected to complete college with a 

4-year degree or higher (34 percent expected to stop with a 4-year college degree, and 

35 percent expected to go on to complete a postbaccalaureate graduate or professional 

program) (table 3). Another 18 percent expected to complete a 2-year postsecondary 

program or at least attend college. 

• Among the senior cohort in 2004, a greater percentage of seniors with higher math 

test scores than seniors with lower math test scores expected to earn a graduate or 

professional degree (58 percent versus 33 and 16 percent) (table 3). 

Choosing a College: Importance of Various Institutional 

Characteristics 

The ELS:2002 first follow-up survey asked college-bound seniors (those who expected to 

go on to postsecondary education) how important various institutional factors were to them when 

choosing a college. These seniors rated each statement as being not important, somewhat 

important, or very important. Estimates in the following bullets reflect the percentage of students 

who rated each item as very important. 

• Among the members of the senior cohort in 2004 who expected to go on to 

postsecondary education, about 75 percent chose the college because it offered a 

degree in their field of interest; 66 percent because of its course offerings; 59 percent 

based on its job placement record; 58 percent based on its academic reputation; and 

57 percent because of the availability of financial aid (figure 2). Three percent 

thought it very important to attend the same college one of their parents had attended. 

• Among the college-bound senior cohort in 2004, a greater percentage of Blacks (54 

percent) than Whites (30 percent) rated low expenses as a very important factor in 

their postsecondary institutional choice (table 4). 

Seniors’ Values and Plans 

The ELS:2002 first follow-up survey asked seniors about their plans for the future and 

their values related to education, work, family, and community. Seniors rated each statement as 
Selected Findings

7

being not important, somewhat important, or very important to them. Estimates in the following 

bullets reflect the percentage of students who rated each item as very important. 

• Among the senior cohort in 2004, being successful in their line of work (91 percent) 

and getting a good education (89 percent) were considered very important to them 

(table 5 and figure 3). 

• Among the senior cohort in 2004, having strong friendships was very important to 

86 percent and finding the right person to marry and having a happy family life was 

very important to 81 percent (table 6 and figure 3). Although having children was 

very important to 49 percent of the cohort, 83 percent said they would like to give 

their children better opportunities than they had had themselves. 

• Having lots of money in their lives was considered very important for 35 percent of 

the high school senior cohort in 2004 (table 5 and figure 3). 

• Around 20 percent of the senior cohort in 2004 felt that working to correct social and 

economic inequalities was very important (table 7 and figure 3). Some 47 percent of 

seniors considered being an active and informed citizen to be very important. 

9 

References 

Entwisle, D. (1990). Schools and the Adolescent. In S.S. Feldman and G.R. Elliott (Eds.), At the 

Threshold: The Developing Adolescent. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 

Ingels, S.J., Burns, L.J., Chen, X., Cataldi, E.F., and Charleston, S. (2005). A Profile of the 

American High School Sophomore in 2002: Initial Results From the Base Year of the 

Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (NCES 2005–338). U.S. Department of Education, 

National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing 

Office. 

Ingels, S.J., Pratt, D.J., Rogers, J.E., Siegel, P.H., and Stutts, E.S. (2005). Education 

Longitudinal Study of 2002: Base-Year to First Follow-up Data File Documentation

(NCES 2006–344). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 

Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

Ingels, S.J., and Scott, L.A. (2004). The High School Sophomore Class of 2002: A Demographic 

Description—First Results From the Base Year of the Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (NCES 2004–371). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 

Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

11 

Tables 

Table 1. Percentage of high school seniors, by selected student characteristics: 2004 

Characteristic Percent distribution 

Total 100.0 

Sex 

Male 49.9 

Female 50.1 

Age 

17 or younger 40.8 

18 54.2 

19 or older 5.0 

Race/ethnicity1

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9 

Asian or Pacific Islander 4.5 

Black or African American 13.3 

Hispanic or Latino 15.0 

More than one race 3.9 

White 62.2 

Native language2

English 86.4 

Non-English 13.6 

Family composition 

Mother and father 60.1 

Mother or father and guardian 15.3 

Single parent (mother or father) 20.7 

Other3 3.9 

Parents' education 

High school or less 25.1 

Some college 34.2 

College graduation 23.1 

Graduate/professional degree 17.6 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 22.2 

Middle two quarters 50.3 

Highest quarter 27.5 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables

12 

Table 1. Percentage of high school seniors, by selected student characteristics: 2004—Continued 

Characteristic Percent distribution 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 5.4 

Algebra 1 6.0 

Geometry 13.2 

Algebra 2 30.0 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus 45.5 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 5.0 

Some college 18.1 

College graduation 33.5 

Graduate/professional degree 35.0 

Don't know 8.4 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 1.7 

Don't know if will continue 6.2 

Four-year institution 61.6 

Two-year community college 22.5 

Vocational, technical, or trade school 8.0 

School sector 

Public 83.9 

Catholic 4.4 

Other private 3.1 

Transfer4 8.6 

School urbanicity 

Urban 25.7 

Suburban 47.1 

Rural 18.6 

Transfer4 8.6 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

13

Table 2. Percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of specific mathematics 

knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics: 2004 

Characteristic Level 11 Level 22 Level 33 Level 44 Level 55

 Total 96.0 78.5 62.4 35.1 3.9 

 

Sex 

Male 96.0 79.6 64.0 38.0 5.1 

Female 96.1 77.5 60.7 32.3 2.7 

Age 

17 or younger 97.4 82.6 66.6 37.7 4.3 

18 96.1 78.6 62.7 35.6 3.8 

19 or older 85.9 48.3 28.0 10.4 0.9 

 

Race/ethnicity6

 

American Indian or Alaska Native 94.5 66.8 42.9 16.1 1.0 

Asian or Pacific Islander 97.7 86.1 73.5 49.6 10.9 

Black or African American 92.3 59.1 35.8 12.0 0.5 

Hispanic or Latino 92.8 64.7 42.7 18.3 1.1 

More than one race 95.1 77.7 61.1 31.8 2.6 

White 97.6 85.7 72.4 43.6 4.9 

 

Native language7

 

English 96.6 80.6 65.0 37.0 3.9 

Non-English 92.5 65.5 45.9 23.3 3.5 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 96.9 82.9 68.6 41.3 5.0 

Mother or father and guardian 95.8 75.9 57.1 28.2 2.4 

Single parent (mother or father) 94.5 70.6 51.9 26.0 2.3 

Other8

 90.8 62.9 41.9 14.5 0.8 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 93.4 66.6 45.5 19.5 1.0 

Some college 96.0 77.4 58.8 29.3 2.1 

College graduation 97.4 84.6 71.8 43.8 5.0 

Graduate/professional degree 98.0 89.8 81.0 57.2 9.8 

 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 92.5 61.6 39.3 15.7 0.7 

Middle two quarters 96.1 78.5 61.1 31.2 2.4 

Highest quarter 98.8 92.3 83.3 57.9 9.1 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

14

Table 2. Percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of specific mathematics 

knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics: 2004—Continued 

Characteristic Level 11 Level 22 Level 33 Level 44 Level 55

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 81.2 36.9 17.1 4.7 # 

Algebra 1 89.7 44.5 19.4 3.9 # 

Geometry 94.1 62.4 35.8 10.5 0.2 

Algebra 2 96.9 78.6 57.2 20.8 0.3 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus 98.9 93.2 85.1 59.8 8.3 

 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 84.0 44.9 24.6 7.8 0.1 

Some college 93.1 62.2 37.2 12.5 0.3 

College graduation 97.6 83.8 68.3 37.3 3.2 

Graduate/professional degree 98.8 90.5 79.7 52.9 7.6 

Don't know 91.5 62.8 42.9 17.3 1.0 

 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 84.7 48.7 25.8 8.1 # 

Don't know if will continue 89.8 58.5 38.6 14.9 0.8 

Four-year institution 98.3 88.0 75.7 47.5 6.0 

Two-year community college 94.1 66.2 43.6 16.9 0.6 

Vocational, technical, or trade school 91.6 63.6 40.1 13.2 0.4 

 

School sector 

Public 95.8 77.9 61.6 34.5 3.7 

Catholic 99.3 92.9 83.5 55.3 6.4 

Other private 98.9 93.1 84.3 59.5 11.4 

Transfer9

 95.2 72.2 50.8 22.0 1.5 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

15

Table 2. Percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of specific mathematics 

knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics: 2004—Continued 

Characteristic Level 11 Level 22 Level 33 Level 44 Level 55

School urbanicity 

Urban 94.9 75.8 59.1 32.9 4.2 

Suburban 96.6 80.5 65.7 38.8 4.3 

Rural 96.4 80.3 63.8 34.9 3.3 

Transfer9 95.2 72.2 50.8 22.0 1.5 

# Rounds to zero. 

1 Math level 1: Simple arithmetical operations on whole numbers: essentially, single-step operations that rely on rote 

memory. 

2 Math level 2: Simple operations with decimals, fractions, powers, and roots. 3 Math level 3: Simple problem solving, requiring the understanding of low-level mathematical concepts. 4 Math level 4: Understanding of intermediate-level mathematical concepts and/or having the ability to formulate 

multistep solutions to word problems. 

5 Math level 5: Proficiency in solving complex multistep word problems and/or having the ability to demonstrate 

knowledge of material found in advanced mathematics courses. 

6 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

7 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

8 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

9 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

NOTE: Mastery is reported at the group level by calculating the mean of the probability scores in the given area. 

Since the means are on a decimal scale between 0 and 1, they represent the proportions of members of a subgroup 

falling within a performance level. See Appendix A for a complete description of the probability of proficiency scores. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

16

Table 3. Percentage of high school seniors, by expected level of educational attainment and 

selected student characteristics: 2004 

Characteristic 

High 

school or 

less 

Some 

college 

College 

graduate 

(4-year degree) 

Graduate/ 

professional 

school Don't know 

Total 5.0 18.1 33.5 35.0 8.4 

 

Sex 

Male 6.9 20.6 34.4 28.8 9.4 

Female 3.1 15.6 32.7 41.2 7.4 

Age 

17 or younger 3.2 17.0 34.8 37.8 7.3 

18 5.4 17.9 33.5 34.6 8.6 

19 or older 13.7 28.6 22.7 19.3 15.6 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or Alaska Native 6.8 21.3 26.5 30.9 14.5 

Asian or Pacific Islander 2.5 10.4 32.7 47.6 6.9 

Black or African American 5.0 18.8 32.1 35.3 8.8 

Hispanic or Latino 6.4 23.1 28.2 28.8 13.5 

More than one race 6.1 16.3 36.4 30.6 10.7 

White 4.7 17.3 35.1 35.9 7.0 

 

Native language2

 

English 4.9 17.7 34.1 35.3 8.0 

Non-English 5.6 20.4 29.8 33.1 11.1 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 4.2 15.8 34.9 38.2 6.8 

Mother or father and guardian 6.7 20.7 32.9 29.1 10.7 

Single parent (mother or father) 6.0 20.6 31.2 31.8 10.4 

Other3

 5.3 29.0 26.3 26.2 13.1 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 9.4 27.2 29.8 22.0 11.5 

Some college 5.1 20.9 35.6 29.4 9.0 

College graduation 2.6 12.6 38.5 40.1 6.2 

Graduate/professional degree 1.5 6.8 28.1 57.9 5.6 

 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 9.6 27.4 28.8 22.0 12.1 

Middle two quarters 5.0 19.8 35.6 30.8 8.8 

Highest quarter 1.3 7.4 33.4 53.2 4.6 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

17

Table 3. Percentage of high school seniors, by expected level of educational attainment and 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

High 

school or 

less 

Some 

college 

College 

graduate 

(4-year degree) 

Graduate/ 

professional 

school Don't know 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 18.8 33.1 20.2 9.4 18.4 

Algebra 1 14.5 37.8 21.8 9.8 16.1 

Geometry 8.8 31.0 26.5 19.7 14.0 

Algebra 2 4.2 21.9 38.4 26.4 8.9 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or 

calculus 1.2 7.2 35.7 51.9 4.0 

 

Mathematics achievement test 

Lowest quarter 11.9 31.4 26.4 16.2 14.1 

Middle two quarters 3.6 18.7 36.5 33.1 8.1 

Highest quarter 0.7 3.6 34.5 57.8 3.4 

 

School sector 

Public 5.2 18.8 33.7 33.8 8.4 

Catholic 1.0 5.5 38.3 51.3 3.8 

Other private 1.0 6.4 32.4 56.2 4.1 

Transfer4

 6.0 21.4 29.7 30.8 12.2 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 4.2 15.1 32.9 39.4 8.5 

Suburban 4.8 17.2 34.5 35.5 8.0 

Rural 6.1 22.9 33.5 30.0 7.5 

Transfer4

 6.0 21.4 29.7 30.8 12.2 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

18

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part I 

Characteristic 

Strong 

academic 

reputation 

Availability 

of financial 

aid 

Easy 

admissions 

standards 

Low 

expenses 

Good job 

placement 

record 

for its 

graduates 

Availability of 

specific 

courses or 

curriculum 

 Total 57.6 57.3 22.9 35.6 59.1 66.5 

 

Sex 

Male 51.8 50.9 22.9 33.3 55.8 62.3 

Female 63.1 63.3 22.9 37.7 62.1 70.3 

 

Age 

17 or younger 58.8 57.9 22.1 36.4 59.1 68.3 

18 57.1 56.3 21.8 34.2 58.4 65.5 

19 or older 53.3 63.6 43.0 44.2 66.6 62.0 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 61.3 61.6 26.5 33.9 59.6 65.3 

Asian or Pacific Islander 66.2 57.7 20.5 33.1 64.9 64.9 

Black or African 

American 66.3 76.0 40.8 53.8 72.9 74.1 

Hispanic or Latino 53.1 69.9 30.6 43.0 63.6 65.3 

More than one race 56.8 62.1 27.0 42.2 59.5 68.6 

White 56.2 50.0 17.2 29.7 54.6 65.1 

 

Native language2

 

English 57.8 55.6 21.8 34.3 58.3 66.8 

Non-English 56.7 68.3 30.6 43.7 63.9 64.4 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 59.6 52.2 19.5 32.0 58.3 66.7 

Mother or father and 

guardian 51.7 61.2 24.5 38.5 57.9 66.7 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 57.2 67.2 29.4 41.7 60.9 65.7 

Other3

 52.5 70.9 36.3 47.2 65.2 65.7 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 51.3 66.9 31.2 44.1 63.1 64.4 

Some college 54.2 61.4 25.1 38.4 58.8 68.7 

College graduation 61.1 52.5 18.2 31.6 57.5 67.2 

Graduate/professional 

degree 67.4 43.7 14.6 24.7 56.4 64.0 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

19

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part I—Continued 

Characteristic 

Strong 

academic 

reputation 

Availability 

of financial 

aid 

Easy 

admissions 

standards 

Low 

expenses 

Good job 

placement 

record 

for its 

graduates 

Availability of 

specific 

courses or 

curriculum 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 51.8 72.2 33.4 47.6 63.9 65.2 

Middle two quarters 55.2 60.3 24.6 37.6 59.1 68.1 

Highest quarter 66.0 41.4 12.4 23.3 55.6 64.5 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 44.1 59.3 34.5 39.7 55.1 56.1 

Algebra 1 43.6 62.7 37.9 44.3 61.9 60.0 

Geometry 46.0 60.8 33.2 40.8 60.8 62.4 

Algebra 2 51.5 58.6 28.6 38.7 57.9 66.5 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus 67.3 54.7 14.1 30.9 59.3 69.1 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 37.7 45.7 33.4 36.0 50.9 46.4 

Some college 38.2 59.2 35.4 42.8 58.1 61.5 

College graduation 54.0 56.9 22.8 35.6 55.8 64.8 

Graduate/professional 

degree 74.0 57.3 15.3 31.0 63.6 73.0 

Don't know 42.4 58.3 30.6 41.2 56.3 58.0 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue † † † † † † 

Don't know if will continue 33.3 56.0 19.5 40.6 48.1 54.0 

Four-year institution 65.4 55.8 17.2 31.4 60.5 69.1 

Two-year community 

college 43.3 62.5 35.7 47.3 54.8 61.4 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 39.8 54.3 31.4 34.4 61.5 61.5 

 

Mathematics achievement 

 test 

Lowest quarter 49.9 67.1 41.1 45.6 63.8 61.0 

Middle two quarters 55.5 58.0 23.3 36.7 60.3 68.1 

Highest quarter 68.3 47.7 6.9 24.9 52.7 68.0 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

20

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part I—Continued 

Characteristic 

Strong 

academic 

reputation 

Availability 

of financial 

aid 

Easy 

admissions 

standards 

Low 

expenses 

Good job 

placement 

record 

for its 

graduates 

Availability of 

specific 

courses or 

curriculum 

School sector 

Public 56.7 57.9 23.0 36.0 58.4 66.3 

Catholic 66.1 48.6 12.0 23.8 59.4 66.1 

Other private 64.0 37.3 13.0 22.8 49.3 59.3 

Transfer4

 59.9 63.9 32.2 42.3 69.5 71.0 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 59.9 61.5 24.8 39.1 59.7 66.7 

Suburban 57.6 54.0 20.5 32.3 58.1 65.9 

Rural 53.4 56.8 22.1 35.6 55.8 65.5 

Transfer4

 59.9 63.9 32.2 42.3 69.5 71.0 

† Not applicable. 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

21

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part II 

Characteristic 

Athletic 

program 

Active 

social life 

Living at 

home 

Away 

from 

home Low crime 

Good 

graduate 

school 

placement 

 Total 14.8 30.0 23.2 29.4 36.0 42.8 

 

Sex 

Male 19.0 33.4 21.4 26.8 30.4 38.2 

Female 10.9 26.9 24.9 31.8 41.1 47.0 

 

Age 

17 or younger 13.9 31.0 23.1 29.9 36.4 43.2 

18 14.8 28.8 21.6 28.8 34.8 41.4 

19 or older 22.4 36.0 41.8 31.7 46.6 53.6 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 20.0 29.3 27.6 28.9 44.3 46.6 

Asian or Pacific Islander 10.8 27.7 21.2 26.6 42.4 54.2 

Black or African 

American 26.4 35.4 29.1 40.3 53.5 60.3 

Hispanic or Latino 15.2 27.6 35.6 21.7 40.1 47.5 

More than one race 17.5 34.1 19.9 31.8 36.3 40.6 

White 12.3 29.4 19.3 28.9 30.6 37.1 

 

Native language2

 

English 14.9 30.2 21.3 30.7 35.0 41.2 

Non-English 14.4 29.1 35.5 20.8 42.1 53.0 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 14.2 30.8 21.3 29.0 33.9 41.9 

Mother or father and 

guardian 14.2 24.9 23.2 26.8 35.0 40.1 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 15.8 31.1 27.8 31.1 41.0 45.7 

Other3 21.1 32.8 29.3 36.6 45.5 51.8 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 15.7 25.5 33.1 23.6 40.1 43.5 

Some college 14.6 28.0 25.8 27.1 37.0 41.6 

College graduation 15.1 32.8 18.2 31.7 32.5 39.9 

Graduate/professional 

degree 13.6 35.9 12.4 37.8 33.5 47.6 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

22

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part II—Continued 

Characteristic 

Athletic 

program 

Active 

social life 

Living at 

home 

Away 

from 

home Low crime 

Good 

graduate 

school 

placement 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 15.3 25.7 35.0 23.4 42.5 46.9 

Middle two quarters 15.2 28.7 25.4 27.8 36.7 40.7 

Highest quarter 13.7 35.5 11.0 36.5 30.0 43.3 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 17.4 27.1 36.6 26.2 38.7 41.1 

Algebra 1 16.6 29.1 36.2 28.0 42.0 43.7 

Geometry 16.6 27.2 31.8 25.1 40.1 41.2 

Algebra 2 14.7 27.9 27.5 26.7 37.9 39.0 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus 13.9 32.4 15.6 32.5 32.7 45.5 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 17.3 33.3 31.0 23.7 44.1 38.2 

Some college 13.9 22.9 35.5 20.3 35.4 30.2 

College graduation 16.5 30.0 22.1 29.2 34.9 33.7 

Graduate/professional 

degree 13.7 33.6 16.3 35.0 36.2 58.0 

Don't know 12.9 28.1 32.8 24.4 39.2 39.3 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue † † † † † † 

Don't know if will continue 11.4 21.1 27.4 19.9 41.3 34.2 

Four-year institution 15.3 33.4 16.5 34.3 35.3 45.9 

Two-year community 

college 15.4 24.3 39.6 20.1 38.5 39.3 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 9.4 20.8 29.4 18.5 34.0 28.7 

 

Mathematics achievement 

 test 

Lowest quarter 22.0 33.3 38.5 30.6 47.5 49.3 

Middle two quarters 13.7 27.7 23.2 26.9 36.7 41.0 

Highest quarter 10.8 31.8 10.3 32.9 25.0 40.6 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

23

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part II—Continued 

Characteristic 

Athletic 

program 

Active 

social life 

Living at 

home 

Away 

from 

home Low crime 

Good 

graduate 

school 

placement 

School sector 

Public 14.9 29.4 23.0 28.7 35.3 41.8 

Catholic 12.4 38.2 12.2 36.9 27.5 45.0 

Other private 12.4 36.8 13.1 35.1 27.1 42.3 

Transfer4

 16.2 28.8 35.5 29.5 51.1 50.9 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 16.6 31.8 23.9 31.7 38.0 46.8 

Suburban 14.1 30.5 20.9 29.2 33.0 41.8 

Rural 13.4 27.0 22.4 26.5 33.7 35.8 

Transfer4

 16.2 28.8 35.5 29.5 51.1 50.9 

† Not applicable. 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

24

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part III 

Characteristic 

Degree in 

chosen field 

Racial/ethnic 

makeup 

School 

size 

Geographic 

location 

Same 

school as 

one 

parent 

attended 

Acceptance 

of college 

credit 

 Total 75.1 14.0 16.3 23.2 3.3 23.8 

 

Sex 

Male 71.5 14.0 14.2 21.5 4.1 21.4 

Female 78.4 14.0 18.3 24.7 2.5 26.0 

 

Age 

17 or younger 76.4 13.6 16.3 23.5 3.0 22.3 

18 74.1 13.2 16.0 22.6 3.0 23.7 

19 or older 76.0 26.0 19.2 24.9 8.9 37.6 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 72.9 14.8 16.5 25.3 1.6 16.1 

Asian or Pacific Islander 73.5 19.1 17.4 22.9 1.9 24.0 

Black or African 

American 83.5 31.0 24.3 28.9 7.9 35.8 

Hispanic or Latino 75.3 18.7 13.8 20.1 4.2 31.9 

More than one race 79.8 19.8 16.5 25.5 3.5 22.0 

White 73.1 8.5 15.1 22.5 2.2 19.5 

 

Native language2

 

English 75.2 12.8 16.4 23.3 3.1 22.7 

Non-English 74.9 21.6 15.9 22.4 4.6 30.8 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 74.9 12.3 16.6 23.4 2.6 22.1 

Mother or father and 

guardian 71.9 13.1 11.6 21.1 3.3 22.1 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 77.9 18.2 18.4 23.6 4.7 28.9 

Other3

 75.7 22.1 19.0 25.0 5.7 29.2 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 75.9 17.2 15.5 21.3 4.2 27.3 

Some college 76.5 13.7 14.4 21.6 3.1 24.9 

College graduation 74.5 11.9 16.6 23.6 2.8 22.2 

Graduate/professional 

degree 72.4 13.2 20.6 27.8 3.0 19.4 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

25

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part III—Continued 

Characteristic 

Degree in 

chosen field 

Racial/ethnic 

makeup 

School 

size 

Geographic 

location 

Same 

school as 

one 

parent 

attended 

Acceptance 

of college 

credit 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 77.0 19.7 16.5 21.6 5.0 29.7 

Middle two quarters 75.8 13.7 15.2 22.2 3.3 25.1 

Highest quarter 72.5 10.4 18.1 26.0 2.1 17.3 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 64.6 22.3 16.9 21.6 8.4 27.8 

Algebra 1 74.7 18.8 13.5 19.0 3.9 27.3 

Geometry 71.9 17.8 15.9 20.8 4.8 28.1 

Algebra 2 75.1 15.1 14.9 21.2 3.6 23.8 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus 77.2 11.0 17.5 25.7 2.1 21.9 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 57.1 23.9 22.0 18.7 12.9 33.8 

Some college 68.9 17.5 11.4 19.2 4.6 22.7 

College graduation 74.3 13.0 15.6 23.0 3.0 22.3 

Graduate/professional 

degree 80.7 12.5 19.4 26.0 2.2 24.8 

Don't know 69.9 15.5 13.6 19.9 4.5 26.1 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue † † † † † † 

Don't know if will continue 68.2 15.1 4.3 11.9 0.7 17.3 

Four-year institution 77.6 12.7 18.5 25.3 2.7 22.9 

Two-year community 

college 70.1 17.2 12.4 20.0 4.5 27.8 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 70.4 15.1 10.4 16.4 4.2 19.6 

 

Mathematics achievement 

 test 

Lowest quarter 73.1 24.6 20.2 24.0 8.7 35.0 

Middle two quarters 76.2 13.0 14.7 21.9 2.0 21.3 

Highest quarter 74.7 7.0 16.0 24.9 1.1 19.1 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

26

Table 4. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors who reported various features of 

postsecondary institutions were “very important” to their choice of a college, by 

selected student characteristics: 2004—Part III—Continued 

Characteristic 

Degree in 

chosen field 

Racial/ethnic 

makeup 

School 

size 

Geographic 

location 

Same 

school as 

one parent 

attended 

Acceptance 

of college 

credit 

School sector 

Public 74.4 13.5 16.5 23.0 3.6 23.8 

Catholic 74.9 8.9 18.4 28.1 1.4 13.4 

Other private 68.8 10.4 20.7 29.5 1.8 13.0 

Transfer4

 84.6 22.6 11.5 19.5 2.1 33.2 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 75.3 16.6 18.8 26.2 4.5 25.1 

Suburban 74.0 12.1 16.4 23.8 3.0 22.4 

Rural 73.3 11.1 14.8 19.0 2.8 21.1 

Transfer4

 84.6 22.6 11.5 19.5 2.1 33.2 

† Not applicable. 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

27

Table 5. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to 

education and work were “very important” to them, by selected student characteristics: 

2004 

Characteristic 

Getting a 

good 

education 

Being 

successful 

in line of 

work 

Becoming 

an expert in 

field of work 

Having lots 

of money 

Being able 

to find 

steady work 

Having 

leisure time 

to enjoy own 

interest 

 Total 89.0 91.3 74.9 35.1 87.3 69.0 

 

Sex 

Male 84.1 89.7 76.8 42.7 85.6 70.2 

Female 93.8 92.9 73.0 27.6 89.0 67.8 

 

Age 

17 or younger 89.0 91.4 74.3 34.7 87.5 70.0 

18 88.7 91.6 74.9 34.4 87.3 68.4 

19 or older 90.5 88.3 79.3 44.8 86.8 66.0 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 89.3 90.7 84.1 41.3 87.9 68.0 

Asian or Pacific Islander 91.6 89.7 73.3 41.9 84.0 69.0 

Black or African 

American 95.1 95.6 86.1 55.3 90.6 70.1 

Hispanic or Latino 91.2 89.4 80.7 40.3 86.1 61.8 

More than one race 88.6 89.9 72.2 36.4 87.1 70.1 

White 86.9 91.1 71.3 28.9 87.1 70.4 

 

Native language2

 

English 88.5 91.5 73.9 34.0 87.7 69.7 

Non-English 91.8 90.4 81.4 42.2 84.9 64.6 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 88.6 91.4 73.2 32.5 86.6 69.9 

Mother or father and 

guardian 88.2 92.3 75.8 34.2 86.8 66.7 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 89.7 91.0 78.7 41.6 89.4 69.4 

Other3

 93.4 87.9 77.5 45.1 89.5 61.7 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 88.7 91.2 78.5 40.4 87.5 62.9 

Some college 88.3 91.7 75.7 35.4 88.7 68.7 

College graduation 89.1 91.0 71.3 31.3 86.2 72.4 

Graduate/professional 

degree 90.5 91.2 73.1 32.2 85.8 73.6 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

28

Table 5. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to 

education and work were “very important” to them, by selected student characteristics: 

2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Getting a 

good 

education 

Being 

successful 

in line of 

work 

Becoming 

an expert in 

field of work 

Having lots 

of money 

Being able 

to find 

steady work 

Having 

leisure time 

to enjoy own 

interest 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 90.0 90.3 78.6 41.0 86.4 61.0 

Middle two quarters 88.5 91.8 75.1 35.6 89.1 69.0 

Highest quarter 89.0 91.4 71.6 29.6 84.7 75.3 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 85.2 88.0 71.4 41.9 85.6 60.0 

Algebra 1 83.3 88.2 76.6 39.5 88.4 64.3 

Geometry 84.8 89.9 76.9 39.2 88.2 64.9 

Algebra 2 88.1 91.2 76.5 38.1 88.0 67.2 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus 92.0 92.6 73.6 30.4 86.6 72.9 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 65.4 78.3 65.8 45.2 82.9 57.5 

Some college 80.6 88.6 74.7 38.6 88.3 64.9 

College graduation 90.5 91.8 71.6 33.9 86.7 70.1 

Graduate/professional 

degree 96.4 95.4 80.2 32.3 88.8 72.9 

Don't know 83.2 86.0 71.6 38.2 83.7 63.3 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue 53.1 80.5 68.8 50.3 84.0 58.9 

Don't know if will 

continue 74.5 81.8 65.6 42.0 81.1 59.7 

Four-year institution 93.3 93.6 75.4 32.7 87.4 71.7 

Two-year community 

college 85.9 89.5 74.7 37.6 88.3 66.7 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 81.9 89.0 80.0 38.3 88.8 63.8 

 

Mathematics achievement 

 test 

Lowest quarter 89.6 89.6 78.8 47.3 87.5 63.3 

Middle two quarters 88.2 92.6 76.2 34.4 88.9 69.0 

Highest quarter 89.9 90.5 68.4 24.6 83.9 74.4 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

29

Table 5. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to 

education and work were “very important” to them, by selected student characteristics: 

2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Getting a 

good 

education 

Being 

successful 

in line of 

work 

Becoming 

an expert in 

field of work 

Having lots 

of money 

Being able 

to find 

steady work 

Having 

leisure time 

to enjoy own 

interest 

School sector 

Public 88.5 91.6 75.1 35.7 87.5 69.2 

Catholic 89.8 91.1 68.5 28.8 87.6 73.5 

Other private 89.0 88.9 67.4 26.4 81.1 68.8 

Transfer4

 92.6 89.7 79.3 35.7 87.3 65.0 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 90.9 91.0 76.7 38.0 87.0 69.8 

Suburban 87.4 91.5 74.2 34.6 87.1 69.5 

Rural 88.4 92.1 72.3 32.2 88.1 68.3 

Transfer4

 92.6 89.7 79.3 35.7 87.3 65.0 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

30

Table 6. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to family 

and friends were “very important” to them, by selected student characteristics: 2004 

Characteristic 

Finding right 

person to 

marry and 

having happy 

family life Having children 

Being able to 

give my 

children better 

opportunities 

than I've had 

Having strong 

friendships 

 Total 81.0 49.3 82.5 85.5 

 

Sex 

Male 80.1 45.4 82.1 84.9 

Female 81.9 53.2 82.9 86.1 

Age 

17 or younger 80.4 50.3 82.4 86.2 

18 81.4 48.8 82.2 85.5 

19 or older 81.4 48.1 87.6 79.8 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or Alaska Native 65.1 29.2 83.8 82.9 

Asian or Pacific Islander 79.7 43.4 84.7 85.1 

Black or African American 75.8 41.3 91.9 74.9 

Hispanic or Latino 77.0 44.8 89.7 79.0 

More than one race 78.5 45.8 81.1 88.3 

White 83.5 53.0 78.7 89.2 

 

Native language2

 

English 81.5 49.8 81.8 86.7 

Non-English 77.8 45.9 87.4 77.8 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 83.2 51.9 80.2 86.4 

Mother or father and guardian 78.7 44.9 84.9 85.4 

Single parent (mother or father) 76.8 45.6 86.6 84.5 

Other3

 77.7 45.4 87.3 77.0 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 77.9 46.5 87.0 80.7 

Some college 81.4 49.0 85.1 85.2 

College graduation 82.6 51.9 79.9 87.8 

Graduate/professional degree 82.4 50.4 74.6 90.0 

 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 76.8 44.1 88.1 77.5 

Middle two quarters 81.5 49.2 84.9 86.6 

Highest quarter 83.3 53.6 73.7 90.0 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

31

Table 6. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to family 

and friends were “very important” to them, by selected student characteristics: 2004—

Continued 

Characteristic 

Finding right 

person to 

marry and 

having happy 

family life Having children 

Being able to 

give my 

children better 

opportunities 

than I've had 

Having strong 

friendships 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 73.4 45.5 82.9 78.2 

Algebra 1 79.0 45.5 87.9 84.3 

Geometry 79.0 45.4 88.6 83.2 

Algebra 2 80.5 49.8 84.9 83.3 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus 83.1 51.0 78.5 88.7 

 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 74.6 43.1 80.6 75.9 

Some college 78.3 46.2 85.1 80.6 

College graduation 82.3 50.4 82.3 87.4 

Graduate/professional degree 84.3 53.5 81.6 88.7 

Don't know 71.2 37.3 83.1 80.4 

 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 74.3 36.7 77.2 72.3 

Don't know if will continue 72.8 40.4 79.8 81.4 

Four-year institution 83.3 51.9 81.4 88.0 

Two-year community college 78.8 47.8 86.2 82.9 

Vocational, technical, or trade school 76.6 43.0 83.8 80.0 

 

Mathematics achievement test 

Lowest quarter 77.2 47.0 88.4 78.8 

Middle two quarters 80.9 49.3 84.8 86.4 

Highest quarter 84.9 51.5 72.3 90.3 

 

School sector 

Public 80.8 49.3 82.5 85.3 

Catholic 88.1 60.8 77.2 91.9 

Other private 89.0 55.4 70.1 90.6 

Transfer4

 76.2 41.4 89.9 82.7 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

32

Table 6. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to family 

and friends were “very important” to them, by selected student characteristics: 2004—

Continued 

Characteristic 

Finding right 

person to 

marry and 

having happy 

family life Having children 

Being able to 

give my 

children better 

opportunities 

than I've had 

Having strong 

friendships 

School urbanicity 

Urban 80.1 48.3 82.7 83.8 

Suburban 81.9 50.6 81.2 86.5 

Rural 82.0 51.0 82.4 86.8 

Transfer4 76.2 41.4 89.9 82.7 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Tables 

33

Table 7. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to 

community and society were “very important” to them, by selected student 

characteristics: 2004 

Characteristic 

Being 

patriotic 

Being an 

active and 

informed 

citizen 

Helping 

other people 

in my 

community 

Working to 

correct social 

and economic 

inequalities 

Total 35.4 47.0 41.7 19.7 

 

Sex 

Male 38.1 44.5 35.2 18.1 

Female 32.8 49.5 48.1 21.2 

Age 

17 or younger 33.2 46.8 40.9 19.7 

18 36.7 46.9 41.3 18.7 

19 or older 39.3 52.1 52.1 29.7 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or Alaska Native 22.9 44.3 36.9 14.2 

Asian or Pacific Islander 21.4 47.7 46.3 23.1 

Black or African American 26.7 56.4 54.3 31.6 

Hispanic or Latino 29.9 53.1 43.6 28.1 

More than one race 32.2 42.0 40.5 19.0 

White 40.0 43.9 38.3 15.0 

 

Native language2

 

English 36.9 45.9 40.8 18.5 

Non-English 26.1 54.2 47.1 27.4 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 37.0 46.9 41.7 18.2 

Mother or father and guardian 34.3 45.5 38.6 19.7 

Single parent (mother or father) 32.2 48.1 43.6 22.9 

Other3

 32.6 49.2 44.0 24.8 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 35.1 44.8 40.5 21.1 

Some college 36.9 46.0 40.0 19.3 

College graduation 35.2 47.3 43.0 18.0 

Graduate/professional degree 33.2 51.9 44.9 20.6 

 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 32.5 48.2 43.5 24.7 

Middle two quarters 36.8 45.1 40.2 18.3 

Highest quarter 35.2 49.8 42.8 18.2 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

34

Table 7. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to 

community and society were “very important” to them, by selected student 

characteristics: 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Being 

patriotic 

Being an 

active and 

informed 

citizen 

Helping 

other people 

in my 

community 

Working to 

correct social 

and economic 

inequalities 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 36.0 45.0 40.8 19.6 

Algebra 1 35.7 46.1 41.9 21.8 

Geometry 38.4 46.6 42.9 22.4 

Algebra 2 35.3 44.6 40.5 18.5 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus 34.5 49.3 42.1 19.3 

 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 36.1 34.7 34.6 19.1 

Some college 35.2 38.5 35.4 16.9 

College graduation 35.6 44.1 39.3 17.0 

Graduate/professional degree 36.3 56.5 49.4 23.8 

Don't know 31.3 44.6 36.4 19.2 

 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 36.1 26.2 27.1 11.3 

Don't know if will continue 36.6 34.9 30.7 14.6 

Four-year institution 35.6 51.2 44.6 20.6 

Two-year community college 34.9 42.9 40.9 19.2 

Vocational, technical, or trade school 34.8 39.9 32.3 18.7 

 

Mathematics achievement test 

Lowest quarter 35.4 50.9 47.5 24.6 

Middle two quarters 36.2 45.1 40.6 19.1 

Highest quarter 33.9 47.2 38.2 16.0 

 

School sector 

Public 34.6 46.1 40.8 19.0 

Catholic 37.9 46.3 41.0 17.8 

Other private 39.4 47.5 43.4 16.9 

Transfer4

 40.7 56.7 50.2 28.4 

See notes at end of table. 
Tables 

35

Table 7. Percentage of high school seniors who reported that various life values related to 

community and society were “very important” to them, by selected student 

characteristics: 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Being 

patriotic 

Being an 

active and 

informed 

citizen 

Helping 

other people 

in my 

community 

Working to 

correct social 

and economic 

inequalities 

School urbanicity 

Urban 30.4 52.3 46.2 23.4 

Suburban 35.3 43.8 38.8 17.5 

Rural 40.4 43.4 38.8 16.1 

Transfer4

 40.7 56.7 50.2 28.4 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 

37 

Figures 

Figure 1. Percentage of high school seniors, by mathematics mastery level: 2004 

96

79

62

35

4

0

20

40

60

80

100

Level 1

(simple

operations:

whole

numbers)

Level 2

(simple

operations:

decimals, 

fractions, roots, 

and powers)

Level 3

(simple 

problem 

solving)

Level 4

(understanding 

of intermediatelevel 

concepts)

Level 5

(complex 

problem 

solving, 

advanced 

knowledge)

Percent

Note: Mastery is reported at the group level by calculating the mean of the probability scores in the given area. Since 

the means are on a decimal scale between 0 and 1, they represent the proportions of members of a subgroup falling 

within a performance level. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Figures

38 

Figure 2. Percentage of college-bound high school seniors, by various features of postsecondary 

institutions rated “very important” to their choice of a college: 2004 

3

14

15

16

23

23

23

24

29

30

36

36

43

57

58

59

66

75

0 20 40 60 80 100

Same as one parent attended

Racial/ethnic makeup

Athletic program

Size

Easy admission

Living at home while attending 

Geographic location

Acceptance of college credit

Away from home while attending 

Active social life

Low expenses 

Low crime

Graduate school placement

Availability of financial aid

Academic reputation

Job placement record

Courses/curriculum

Has degree in chosen field

Percent

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Figures 

39

Figure 3. Percentage of high school seniors, by various life values rated “very important” to 

them: 2004 

20

35

35

42

47

49

69

75

81

83

86

87

89

91

0 20 40 60 80 100

Working to correct inequalities

Having lots of money 

Being patriotic

Helping others in community

Being an active/informed citizen

Having children

Having leisure time

Being expert in field of work

Marrying right person/having happy

family

Giving children better opportunities

Having strong friendships

Being able to find steady work

Getting good education

Being successful in line of work

Percent

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 

41 

Appendix A 

Technical Notes and Glossary 

Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

43 

Appendix A 

Technical Notes and Glossary 

A.1 Overview of the Technical Appendix 

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of 

Education has collected longitudinal data for more than 30 years. Starting in 1972 with the 

National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS-72) and continuing to the 

most recent study, the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), NCES has provided 

longitudinal and trend data to education policymakers and researchers who link secondary school 

educational achievement and experiences with important downstream outcomes, such as entry 

into the labor market and postsecondary educational access and attainment. 

The base year of ELS:2002 was the first stage of a major new effort designed to provide 

data about critical transitions experienced by students as they proceed through high school and 

into postsecondary education or their careers. The 2002 sophomore cohort was surveyed again in 

2004 and the sample freshened to make it fully representative of spring term 2004 high school 

seniors. Future follow-ups will collect policy-relevant data about postsecondary access and 

choices, postsecondary attainment, entry into the work force, family formation, voting, 

volunteerism, and life goals and values. 

The first section of this appendix details ELS:2002 study objectives; lists some of the 

major research and policy issues that the study addresses; explains the four levels of analysis—

cross-sectional, longitudinal, cross-cohort, and international comparison—that can be conducted 

with ELS:2002 data; and supplies an overview of the base-year and first follow-up study design 

and methodology. 

This section is followed by discussions of base-year and first follow-up sampling, 

weighting and imputation, response rates, quality of estimates, standard errors, and electronic 

codebooks. Next, an account is provided of the statistical procedures employed. Finally, a 

glossary documents the analysis variables used in this report. 

A.2 Overview of ELS:2002 

A.2.1 Study Objectives 

ELS:2002 is a longitudinal study, in which the same individuals are surveyed repeatedly 

over time. Individual students are expected to be followed until about age 30; the base-year 

schools have been surveyed twice (they were surveyed in 2002 and again in 2004). In the high 

school years, ELS:2002 is an integrated multilevel study, involving multiple respondent 

populations, including students, their parents, their teachers, and their schools (from which data 

are collected at three levels: from the principal, the librarian, and a facilities checklist). This 

multilevel focus supplies researchers with a comprehensive picture of the home, community, and 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

44

school environments and their influences on the student. This multiple-respondent perspective is 

unified by the fact that, for most purposes, the student is the basic unit of analysis.6

 

Key elements in the ELS:2002 longitudinal design are summarized by wave below. 

Base Year (2002) 

• Baseline survey of high school sophomores completed in spring term 2002. 

• Cognitive tests in reading and mathematics completed. 

• Surveys of parents, English teachers, and math teachers completed. School 

administrators’ responses to questionnaires also collected. 

• Additional components for this study included a school facilities checklist and a 

media center (library) questionnaire. 

• Sample sizes of approximately 750 schools and over 17,000 students (of whom 

15,362 participated). Schools were the first-stage unit of selection, with sophomores 

randomly selected within schools. 

• Oversampling of Asians and private schools. 

• Design linkages (test score equating in reading and mathematics, some questionnaire 

items in common) with the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and 

score reporting linkages to the prior longitudinal studies (the High School and 

Beyond longitudinal study [HS&B] and the National Education Longitudinal Study of 

1988 [NELS:88]). 

First Follow-up (2004) 

• Follow-up in 2004, when most sample members were seniors but some were dropouts 

or in other grades. 

• Student questionnaire, dropout questionnaire, assessment in mathematics, and school 

administrator questionnaire administered; special tailored instruments for early 

graduates and homeschooled students. 

• Returned to the same schools but separately followed transfer students, as well as 

dropouts, early graduates, and sample members who went into a homeschool setting. 

• Freshened to ensure a nationally representative 2004 senior cohort. 

• High school transcript component with data collection late 2004 through early 2005 

(coursetaking records for grades 9–12). 

 

6

 Base-year school administrator, library media center, and facilities data can be used to report on the nation’s 

schools with 10th grades in the 2001–02 school year. (First follow-up school administrator data, on the other hand, 

does not properly generalize to the nation’s school with a senior class in 2004.) However, the primary use of the 

school-level data (and the purpose of parent and teacher surveys) is to provide further contextual information on the 

student. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

45

Second Follow-up (2006) 

• Post-high-school follow-ups using a single questionnaire with branching of questions 

to accommodate the diverse pathways followed by the cohort. 

• Questionnaire will be available as a single application in three electronic modalities: 

web for self-administration, computer-assisted telephone interview, and computerassisted personal interview. 

Further Follow-ups 

• Number of (and dates for) further follow-ups to be determined. 

A.2.2 ELS:2002 Research and Policy Issues 

Apart from helping to describe the status of high school students and their schools, 

ELS:2002 will provide information to help address a number of key policy and research 

questions. The study is intended to produce a comprehensive dataset for the development and 

evaluation of education policy. Part of its aim is to inform decisionmakers, education 

practitioners, and parents about the changes in the operation of the education system over time 

and the effects of various elements of the system on the lives of the individuals who pass through 

it. Issues that can be addressed with data collected in the high school years include the following: 

• students’ academic growth in mathematics; 

• the process of dropping out of high school; 

• the relationship between family background and students’ educational success; 

• the association between coursetaking choices and academic success in the high school 

years; 

• the equitable distribution of educational opportunities as registered in the distinctive 

school experiences and performance of students from various policy-relevant 

subgroups, such as 

– students in public and private high schools; 

– language minority students; 

– students with disabilities; 

– students in urban, suburban, and rural settings; 

– students in different regions of the country; 

– students from upper, middle, and lower socioeconomic status levels; 

– male and female students; and 

– students from different racial or ethnic groups; and 

• steps taken to facilitate the transition from high school to postsecondary education or 

the world of work. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

46

After ELS:2002 students have completed high school, a new set of issues can be 

examined. These issues include 

• the later educational and labor market activities of high school dropouts; 

• the transition of those who do not go directly on to postsecondary education or to the 

world of work; 

• access to, and choice of, undergraduate and graduate educational institutions; 

• persistence in attaining postsecondary education goals; 

• entry of new postsecondary graduates into the workforce; 

• social and economic rates of return on education to both the individual and society; 

and 

• adult roles, such as family formation and civic participation. 

A.2.3 Analytic Levels 

These research and policy issues can be investigated at several distinct levels of analysis. 

The overall scope and design of the study provide for the following four analytical levels: 

• cross-sectional profiles of the nation’s high school sophomores and seniors (as well as 

dropouts after spring of the sophomore year); 

• longitudinal analysis (including examination of life-course changes); 

• intercohort comparisons with American high school students of earlier decades; and 

• international comparisons (U.S. 15-year-olds compared with 15-year-olds in other 

nations). 

Cross-sectional profiles. ELS:2002 cross-sectional data permit characterization of the 

nation’s high school sophomores in the spring of the 2001–02 school year and seniors in the 

spring of the 2003–04 school year. 

Longitudinal analysis. Longitudinal analysis is now possible with release of data from 

the 2004 first follow-up. ELS:2002 provides the basis for within-cohort comparison by following 

the same individuals over time to measure achievement growth in mathematics; monitor 

enrollment status and school completion over the high school years and thereafter; and record 

such key outcomes as postsecondary entry and attainment, labor market experiences, civic 

participation, and family formation. These outcomes, in turn, can be related to antecedents 

identified in earlier rounds, including individual, home, school, and community factors. 

Intercohort comparisons. As part of an important historical series of studies that repeats 

a core of key items each decade, ELS:2002 offers the opportunity for the analysis of trends in 

areas of fundamental importance, such as patterns of coursetaking, rates of participation in 

extracurricular activities, academic performance, and changes in goals and aspirations. A 1980–

2002 NCES high school sophomore trend report is currently in preparation. With completion of 

the first follow-up in 2004, researchers can now compare ELS:2002 high school seniors’ 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

47

experience, attitudes, and achievement with that of NELS:88 seniors in 1992, HS&B seniors in 

1980 and 1982, and NLS-72 seniors in 1972. 

Starting with the ELS:2002 first follow-up academic transcript component, trend 

comparisons can also be made with transcript data containing students’ high school course 

histories and sequences, since comparable transcript studies have been conducted, starting with 

HS&B (1982) and including NELS:88 (1992) and the National Assessment of Educational 

Progress (NAEP) (1987, 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2000). 

International comparisons. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and 

Development’s (OECD’s) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an 

internationally standardized assessment, jointly developed by the 32 participating countries 

(including the United States) and administered to 15-year-olds in groups in their schools (see 

Lemke et al. [2001]). PISA covers three domains: reading literacy, numeracy, and scientific 

literacy; a subset of the PISA reading literacy and numeracy items have been included on 

ELS:2002. PISA aims to define each domain not merely in terms of mastery of the school 

curriculum, but also in terms of important knowledge and skills needed in adult life. A special 

feature of ELS:2002 is that it can be linked to PISA. Specifically, ELS:2002 base-year reading 

results have been put on the PISA:2000 literacy scale, and base-year results are also being put on 

the PISA:2003 mathematics scale. It will thus be possible to relate PISA scale scores in the two 

areas to longitudinal outcomes, through ELS:2002 results from the first follow-up onward. 

A.2.4 Overview of the Base-Year and First Follow-up Study Design and Content 

Base-year study design. ELS:2002 was conducted in a national probability sample of 

about 750 participating (of 1,220 eligible contacted) public, Catholic, and other private schools 

in the spring term of the 2001–02 school year. Of 17,590 eligible selected sophomores, 15,360 

completed a base-year questionnaire, as did 13,480 of their parents and 7,140 of their teachers.7

Of the 750 participating schools, 740 principals and 720 librarians completed questionnaires. 

Seven study components comprised the base-year design: assessments of students 

(achievement tests in mathematics and reading); a survey of students; surveys of parents, 

teachers, school administrators, and librarians; and a facilities checklist (completed by survey 

administrators, based on their observations at the school). The student assessments measured 

achievement in mathematics and reading; the baseline scores can serve as a covariate or control 

variable for later analyses. Mathematics achievement was reassessed in the first follow-up, so 

that achievement gain over the last 2 years of high school can be measured and related to school 

processes and mathematics coursetaking. The student questionnaire gathered information about 

the student’s background, school experiences and activities, plans and goals for the future, 

employment and out-of-school experiences, language background, and psychological orientation 

toward learning. 

One parent of each participating sophomore was asked to respond to a parent survey. The 

parent questionnaire was designed to gauge parental aspirations for the child, home background 

and the home education support system, the child’s educational history prior to 10th grade, and 

 

7

 Note that the participating student sample defines the eligible parent and teacher samples. The 7,140 teacher 

completions are those linked to student respondents. Of the 15,360 student participants, 14,080 had at least one 

associated teacher-provided student report. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

48

parental interactions with and opinions about the student’s school. For each student enrolled in 

English or mathematics, a teacher was also selected to participate in a teacher survey. Teachers 

typically (but not invariably) reported on multiple ELS:2002 sophomores. The teacher 

questionnaire collected the teacher’s evaluation of the student and provided information about 

the teacher’s background and activities. The head librarian or media center director at each 

school was asked to complete a library media center questionnaire, which inquired into the 

school’s library media center facility, its staffing, its technological resources, collection and 

expenditures, and scheduling and transactions. Finally, the facilities checklist was a brief 

observational form completed for each school. The form collected information about the 

condition of school buildings and facilities. 

First follow-up study design. In the first follow-up, the base-year schools were surveyed 

by means of an administrator questionnaire. Base-year students were surveyed whether in the 

base-year school, in a new school, or out of school. Additional seniors were added in a 

freshening process, and a mathematics assessment was administered to first follow-up students in 

the original (base-year) sample of schools. Information about coursetaking (covering all years of 

high school and including the sequence in which courses were taken and grades earned) was 

collected at the end of high school, through the high school transcript component of the 

ELS:2002 first follow-up study. The transcript data are not yet available. 

The basis for the sampling frame for the first follow-up was the sample of schools and 

students studied in the ELS:2002 base year. There were two overlapping but conceptually 

different target student populations, or populations of inferential interest, for the first follow-up. 

One population (the ELS:2002 sophomore cohort) consists of students who were enrolled in the 

10th grade in the spring term of 2002. The other population (the ELS:2002 senior cohort) 

comprises students who were enrolled in the 12th grade in the spring term of 2004. The former 

population includes students who dropped out of school between 10th and 12th grades, students 

who graduated early, students who went from a school setting to a homeschool setting, and 

students who fell behind the modal grade progression of their peers (e.g., students who repeated 

a grade and were 11th-graders in spring 2004). This latter population includes students in the 

sophomore cohort who were seniors in 2004, plus samples of students in the baseline schools 

from each of these missing groups who were seniors in 2004. The inclusion of representatives of 

these missing groups who were seniors in 2004 to the first follow-up data makes the entire 

sample of 2004 high school seniors nationally representative. This additional group of high 

school seniors is called the “freshening sample.” 

Because of these two target populations and the major analytical subgroups, the full-scale 

sample encompasses the following types of students from the spring of 2004: 

• ELS:2002 base-year student sample members enrolled (in either the 12th grade or 

some other grade) in the school in which they were originally sampled; 

• ELS:2002 base-year sophomores who dropped out of school prior to first follow-up 

(2004) data collection; 

• ELS:2002 base-year student respondents who finished high school early, including 

those who graduated from high school early, as well as those who did not graduate 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

49

but achieved alternative certification (e.g., exam-certified equivalency such as a 

General Educational Development [GED] diploma); 

• ELS:2002 base-year student respondents who transferred out of the school in which 

they were originally sampled (including homeschooled students); 

• ELS:2002 base-year sample students who were deemed unable to participate directly 

during the base year owing to severe disability or insufficient command of the 

English language such that they could not complete a questionnaire; and 

• Students at the base-year sample school who were enrolled in the 12th grade in spring 

of 2004 but were not in 10th grade in the United States during the 2001–02 school 

year. In spring term 2002, such students may have been out of the country, been 

enrolled in school in the United States in a grade other than 10th, had an extended 

illness or injury, been homeschooled, been institutionalized, or temporarily dropped 

out of school. These students comprised the first follow-up freshening sample. 

Although all groups in the sample as categorized above were eligible to complete a 

questionnaire, different instruments were tailored to different study populations. The practice 

followed was to provide a core set of items to which sample members would respond, 

supplemented by items specific to the circumstances of a particular group (such as dropouts, for 

whom questions about their current school situation would not be relevant). 

For some classifications of the sample, a first follow-up test score in mathematics has 

either been collected (students still in the base-year school who participated in the in-school 

administration) or imputed (students who had transferred to a new school or those still in the 

base-year school but who were unable to participate during the in-school sessions). For the 

senior cohort of 2004, the analysis population of this report, test data in mathematics are 

available. For out-of-high-school categories of sample members, such as dropouts, early 

graduates, and the homeschooled, a test score has neither been collected nor imputed. (It should 

also be noted that missing test score data have been imputed for base-year nonrespondents who 

became respondents in the first follow-up. With these scores, this group can be assimilated into a 

sophomore cohort panel analysis.) 

For all classifications of sample members, information about student coursetaking 

(covering all years of high school and including the sequence in which courses were taken and 

grades earned) will be collected late in 2004 and early 2005 through the high school transcript 

component of the ELS:2002 first follow-up study. 

Further details of the instrumentation, sample design, data collection results, data 

processing, weighting and imputation, and data files available for analysis may be found in the 

Education Longitudinal Study of 2002: Base-Year to First Follow-up Data File Documentation

(Ingels et al. 2005).8

 

8

 See appendix reference list (section A.6) for full citation. The manual can be downloaded from the NCES website: 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch. For more comprehensive information about the base year, see Ingels et al. 2004. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

50

A.3 Sample Design, Weighting, Response Rates, Quality of 

Estimates, Standard Errors, and the Electronic Codebook 

A.3.1 Sampling 

The ELS:2002 base-year sample design began with a nationally representative, two-stage 

stratified probability sample. The first stage of selection was schools; schools were selected with 

probability proportional to size (PPS). The public school sample was stratified by the nine U.S. 

Census divisions and by urbanicity (metropolitan status of urban, suburban, or rural). Private 

schools (Catholic and other private) were stratified by four levels of geography (Census region) 

and urbanicity; private schools were oversampled. The target sample size was 800 schools. 

Cooperation was sought from 1,220 eligible selections. The realized sample comprised 750 

participating 10th-grade schools (67.8 participation rate). The second stage of selection was 

students. Of 17,590 sampled students in the schools, 15,360 students participated. Some groups 

(e.g., Asians, students in nonpublic schools) were oversampled. The weighted student response 

rate was 87.3 percent; detailed base-year response rates are reported in section A.3.3. 

The first follow-up returned to the same schools to seek their cooperation, and to baseyear sophomore respondents and a sample of base-year nonrespondents, regardless of whether 

they had remained in the base-year school. In addition, at participating base-year schools in the 

first follow-up, a sample freshening procedure was implemented so that spring term 2004 seniors 

who had not had a chance of selection into the sophomore cohort 2 years before would have a 

chance of selection into ELS:2002 as seniors. Although 5 of the 750 base-year schools were 

ineligible because they no longer enrolled ELS:2002 sample members or seniors, of the eligible 

schools, 700 (93.4 percent) participated. Overall, there were 16,520 sample members (students, 

dropouts, homeschooled, or early graduates), of whom 14,990 participated. The sample included 

14,250 seniors, of whom 13,420 participated. The weighted response rate for the analysis sample 

in this report, high school seniors, was 94.4 percent. Detailed first follow-up response rates are 

reported in section A.3.3. 

A.3.2 Weighting and Imputation 

Weighting. The general purpose of the weighting scheme was to compensate for unequal 

probabilities of selection of schools and students into the base-year sample and to adjust for the 

fact that not all schools and students selected into the sample actually participated. Three sets of 

weights were computed in the base year: a school weight, a weight for student questionnaire 

completion, and a contextual data weight for the “expanded” sample of questionnaire-eligible 

and questionnaire-ineligible students.9

 School and student weights were adjusted for 

nonresponse, and these adjustments were designed to significantly reduce or eliminate 

nonresponse bias for data elements known for most respondents and nonrespondents. In addition, 

base-year school weights were poststratified to known population totals. 

 

9

 The base-year expanded sample weight generalizes to the population of all sophomores, regardless of whether 

they were capable of completing the questionnaire. The base-year student questionnaire weight (BYSTUWT) 

generalizes only to the population of students who were eligible to complete the student questionnaire, that is, those 

who were not judged incapable of participation by virtue of a severe disability or lack of proficiency in the English 

language. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

51

In the first follow-up, three individual-level weights were generated, to accommodate the 

2002 sophomore cohort 2 years later and the freshened senior cohort of 2004: a cross-sectional 

weight based on 2004 questionnaire completion, an expanded sample weight that extended the 

weighting to encompass questionnaire-ineligible sample members, and a panel weight for 

sophomore cohort members with data at both points in time.10 The estimates in this report were 

produced using F1QWT, a cross-sectional weight that generalizes to the population of 12thgraders in regular U.S. high schools in the spring term of the 2003–04 school year when used in 

conjunction with the senior cohort flag. 

Imputation. For key classification variables, missing data were replaced with imputed 

values. Single imputation (by means of a weighted sequential hot deck procedure) was 

implemented for missing key questionnaire variables. Multiple imputation of the ability estimate 

(theta) was used to treat missing assessment data. Table A-1 lists variables subject to imputation 

and proportions missing. The dataset was also subject to disclosure risk analysis and disclosure 

avoidance editing, including, among other measures, such perturbation techniques as data 

swapping. 

Table A-1. ELS:2002 imputation variables: 2002 

Variable 

Number of 

cases imputed 

Weighted percent 

imputed1

Student sex # 0.04 

Student race/ethnicity 20 0.14 

Student language minority status 120 0.93 

Student Hispanic subgroup 820 5.65 

Student Asian subgroup 820 7.21 

School program type 650 5.09 

Student postsecondary attainment: educational expectations 90 0.67 

Parental aspirations for student postsecondary attainment 720 5.52 

Family composition 130 0.96 

Mother’s educational attainment2

 180 1.42 

Mother’s occupation2

 240 2.02 

Father’s educational attainment2

 250 2.17 

Father’s occupation2

 290 2.50 

Family income (2001)2

 940 7.42 

Enrollment status (in-school vs. out, grade) 430 2.42 

12th-grade student ability estimates (theta) for mathematics3

 2,710 18.23 

10th-grade student ability estimates (theta) for mathematics3

 650 5.09 

10th-grade student ability estimates (theta) for reading3

 650 5.09 

# Rounds to zero. 

1 The denominator used in calculating the weighted percent missing varies by variable due to restrictions on eligibility 

for imputation. 

2 Used to construct socioeconomic status (SES). 

3 Used to construct scale, quartile, and proficiency scores. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002). 

 

10 There are two different cases in which a respondent can have data at two points in time. Both cases are covered 

by the panel weight: (1) by virtue of completing a questionnaire both in the base year and first follow-up; and (2) for 

base-year nonrespondents, by virtue of completing both a first follow-up questionnaire and a New Participant 

Supplement from which missing key base-year classification variables could be filled in. In addition, for base-year 

nonparticipants participating in the first follow-up, a base-year reading and mathematics score was imputed. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

52

A.3.3 Base-Year and First Follow-up Response Rates 

Base-year response rates. Of 1,220 eligible contacted schools, 750 participated in the 

study, for an overall weighted school participation rate of approximately 68 percent (62 percent 

unweighted). Of 17,590 selected eligible students, 15,360 participated, for a weighted student 

response rate of approximately 87 percent.11 (School and student weighted response rates reflect 

use of the base weight [design weight] and do not include nonresponse adjustments.) School and 

student unit nonresponse bias analyses were performed, as well as an item nonresponse bias 

analysis for the questionnaires. The school-level bias due to nonresponse prior to and after 

computing weights was estimated based on the data collected from both respondents and 

nonrespondents, as well as sampling frame data. At the unit level (but not the item level), 

weighting techniques were employed to reduce detected bias; after final nonresponse 

adjustments, the remaining relative bias ranged from 0 percent to 0.2 percent for schools and 

from 0 percent to 0.07 percent for students. For details of the bias analyses, see the Education 

Longitudinal Study of 2002: Base Year Data File User’s Manual (Ingels et al. 2004). 

Unweighted and weighted school-level response by stratum is summarized in table A-2. Secondstage unit response rates by component are summarized in table A-3. 

First follow-up response rates. First follow-up weighted response rates are reported at 

the student level only (the school sample was not strictly representative of the nation’s high 

schools with 12th grades in 2003–04). Overall, 14,990 of 16,520 sample members participated, 

for a weighted response rate of 88.7 percent. However, for the analysis population for this report, 

the senior cohort, the weighted response rate was 94.4 percent, with 13,420 seniors (of a possible 

14,250) participating. Further details of first follow-up coverage and completion rates are 

provided in tables A-4 and A-5. In addition, weighted item response rates for the variables used 

in this report are provided in table A-6. 

Table A-2. Unweighted school sampling and eligibility, and unweighted and weighted 

participation, by sampling stratum: 2002 

Sampled schools Eligible schools Participating schools 

School sampling 

stratum Number 

Unweighted 

percent1 Number 

Unweighted

percent2 Number 

Unweighted 

percent3 Weighted 

percent

 Total 1,270 100.00 1,220 96.29 750 61.59 67.80

School sector 

Public 950 75.16 930 97.17 580 62.63 69.09

Catholic 140 11.04 140 100.00 100 67.86 74.04

Other private 180 13.80 160 88.57 80 49.68 62.94

School urbanicity 

Urban 430 34.23 410 95.39 250 60.39 67.27

Suburban 630 49.68 610 96.67 360 59.28 59.81

Rural 200 16.09 200 97.06 140 71.21 79.32

1

 Percent is based on overall total within column. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. 2

 Percent is based on number sampled within row. 

3

 Percent is based on number eligible within row. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002). 

 

11 Stage 1 (school) response rates can be multiplied by stage 2 (student) response rates for a combined two-stage 

response rate: 68 percent * 87 percent = 59 percent. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

53

Table A-3. Summary of ELS:2002 base-year completion and coverage rates: 2002 

Instrument Selected Participated 

Weighted 

percent 

Unweighted 

percent 

Student questionnaire 17,590 15,360 87.28 87.33 

Student assessment1 15,360 14,540 95.08 94.67 

Parent questionnaire2 15,360 13,490 87.45 87.80 

Teacher ratings of students3

 15,360 14,080 91.64 91.66 

School administrator questionnaire 750 740 98.53 98.80 

Library media center questionnaire 750 720 95.93 95.48 

Facilities checklist 750 750 100.00 100.00 

1

 Percentage of cases for which a student questionnaire was obtained and for which a cognitive test was also 

obtained. Note that test scores have been imputed where missing so that test scores are available for all 15,362 

questionnaire completers. 

2

 Indicates a coverage rate: percentage of participating students with a parent report. More parents participated; 

these completion rates reflect the number of records in the public-use data file, where parent (and teacher) data were 

excluded for students who did not complete a base-year student questionnaire. 3

 Indicates a coverage rate: ratings obtained from at least one teacher. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002). 

Table A-4. Summary of ELS:2002 first follow-up completion and coverage rates: 2004 

Instrument Selected Participated 

Weighted 

percent 

Unweighted 

percent 

 Total sample for public-use file 16,520 14,990 88.70 90.76 

Student questionnaire 13,090 12,430 93.39 94.92 

Student math assessment1

 12,430 11,000 87.40 88.48 

School administrator questionnaire2 12,430 11,860 95.90 95.41 

Transfer questionnaire 1,800 1,280 68.36 70.87 

Dropout questionnaire 880 690 73.20 78.31 

Early graduate questionnaire 690 560 80.64 81.51 

Homeschooled questionnaire 60 40 61.46 67.21 

1

 Indicates a coverage rate: percentage of cases for which a student questionnaire was obtained and for which a 

cognitive test was also obtained. When a test was not obtained, test results were imputed. 2

 Indicates a coverage rate: percentage of students affiliated with base-year (2002) schools in 2004 (student 

questionnaire completers) for whom a school administrator report was obtained. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002). 

Table A-5. Questionnaire completion rate for ELS:2002 senior cohort: 2004 

 Completed Completed 

 student questionnaire transfer questionnaire Completion rate 

Characteristic Weighted Unweighted Weighted Unweighted Weighted Unweighted 

Total (2004 seniors) 96.84 96.78 74.32 73.79 94.42 94.25 

Participated (n) 12,270 1,160 13,420 

Sampled (n) 12,680 1,570 14,250 

School sector 

Public 96.77 96.57 73.63 72.07 94.30 93.89 

Catholic 97.69 97.61 83.91 80.77 96.45 96.04 

Other private 97.66 97.29 79.47 77.89 94.86 94.59 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

54

Table A-5. Questionnaire completion rate for ELS:2002 senior cohort: 2004—Continued 

 Completed Completed 

 student questionnaire transfer questionnaire Completion rate 

Characteristic Weighted Unweighted Weighted Unweighted Weighted Unweighted 

School urbanicity 

Urban 96.87 96.78 74.23 73.27 93.78 93.63 

Suburban 96.58 96.72 75.03 74.52 94.44 94.52 

Rural 97.46 96.94 72.55 73.09 95.25 94.66 

School region 

Midwest 97.54 97.53 69.40 70.36 94.44 94.41 

Northeast 96.11 96.14 80.92 77.60 95.17 94.80 

South 97.14 97.14 75.61 74.60 94.71 94.63 

West 96.28 95.84 74.62 74.38 93.37 92.92 

Race/ethnicity 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 96.86 95.79 83.78 83.33 93.79 93.81 

Asian or Pacific 

Islander 97.10 96.86 72.86 74.03 94.40 94.51 

Black or African 

American 97.13 96.90 77.37 76.47 93.72 93.40 

Hispanic or Latino 96.94 96.86 74.22 73.08 93.77 93.36 

More than one race 96.60 95.19 67.61 63.74 93.19 91.07 

White 96.77 96.87 73.48 73.91 94.82 94.87 

NOTE: School-level variables, that is, school type, urbanicity, and region, are based on the base-year school in 2002 

for sophomore cohort members. For freshened students, the variable is based on the base-year school in 2004, the 

time point at which freshened seniors entered the sample. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002). 

Table A-6. Weighted senior cohort response rates for unimputed variables used in this report: 

2004 

Source Variable label Variable 

Response 

rate 

Student Years of general math coursework F1S17A 97.78 

Student Years of pre-algebra coursework F1S17B 97.81 

Student Years of algebra 1 coursework F1S17C 98.68 

Student Years of geometry coursework F1S17D 98.71 

Student Years of algebra 2 coursework F1S17E 98.36 

Student Years of trigonometry coursework F1S17F 97.63 

Student Years of pre-calculus coursework F1S17G 97.66 

Student Years of calculus coursework F1S17H 97.07 

Student Years of consumer/business math coursework F1S17I 97.08 

Student Importance of being successful in line work F1S40A 99.38 

Student Importance of marrying right person/having happy family F1S40B 99.29 

Student Importance of having lots of money F1S40C 99.27 

Student Importance of having strong friendships F1S40D 99.18 

Student Importance of being able to find steady work F1S40E 98.99 

Student Importance of helping others in community F1S40F 98.78 

Student Importance of giving children better opportunities F1S40G 98.96 

Student Importance of working to correct inequalities F1S40J 98.70 

Student Importance of having children F1S40K 98.89 

Student Importance of having leisure time F1S40L 99.01 

Student Importance of being expert in field of work F1S40M 99.03 

Student Importance of getting good education F1S40N 99.07 

Student Importance of being an active/informed citizen F1S40P 98.83 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

55

Table A–6. Weighted senior cohort response rates for unimputed variables used in this report: 

2004—Continued 

Source Variable label Variable 

Response 

rate 

Student Importance of being patriotic F1S40R 98.52 

Student How far in school respondent thinks will get F1S42 99.38 

Student Plans to go on to school right after high school F1S45 99.75 

Student Type of school plans to attend F1S49 99.11 

Student Postsecondary school’s courses/curriculum important to respondent F1S52C 97.99 

Student Postsecondary school’s athletic program important to respondent F1S52D 98.21 

Student Postsecondary school’s active social life important to respondent F1S52E 98.17 

Student Living at home while attending postsecondary school important to 

respondent F1S52F 98.12 

Student Away from home while attending postsecondary school important to 

respondent F1S52G 98.34 

Student Postsecondary school’s low crime important to respondent F1S52H 98.38 

Student Postsecondary school’s job placement record important to respondent F1S52I 98.17 

Student Postsecondary school’s graduate school placement important to 

respondent F1S52J 97.99 

Student Postsecondary school’s academic reputation important to respondent F1S52K 98.06 

Student Postsecondary school’s easy admission important to respondent F1S52L 98.05 

Student Postsecondary school has degree in chosen field important to respondent F1S52M 98.06 

Student Postsecondary school’s racial/ethnic makeup important to respondent F1S52N 97.86 

Student Postsecondary school’s size important to respondent F1S52O 98.10 

Student Postsecondary school’s geographic location important to respondent F1S52P 97.77 

Student Postsecondary school same as one parent attended important to 

respondent F1S52Q 97.82 

Student Postsecondary school’s acceptance of college credit important to 

respondent F1S52R 97.99 

 Plans to work right after high school 99.65 

Student Month and year of birth F1DOB_P 99.40 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002). 

A.3.4 Quality of Estimates: Reliability and Validity of ELS:2002 Data 

Most of the items used in the ELS:2002 questionnaires were taken from prior studies, 

particularly HS&B and NELS:88. Given their past use with large, nationally representative 

samples, their measurement characteristics are well established. A number of data quality studies 

have been conducted using these items. Interested readers should see, in particular, Fetters, 

Stowe, and Owings (1984), Kaufman and Rasinski (1991), and McLaughlin and Cohen (1997). 

Data quality analyses for the subset of new questionnaire items used in ELS:2002 (as well as the 

reading and mathematics assessments) can be found in the base-year field test report (Burns et al. 

2003). The base-year and base-year to first follow-up data manuals (Ingels et al. 2004, 2005) also 

address issues of questionnaire and assessment data quality for both the ELS:2002 baseline and 

its first follow-up. 

A.3.5 Survey Standard Errors 

Because the ELS:2002 sample design involved stratification, the disproportionate 

sampling of certain strata, and clustered (i.e., multistage) probability sampling, the resulting 

statistics are more variable than they would have been if they had been based on data from a 

simple random sample of the same size. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

56

The calculation of exact standard errors for survey estimates can be difficult. Several 

procedures are available for calculating precise estimates of sampling errors for complex 

samples. Procedures such as Taylor Series approximations, Balanced Repeated Replication 

(BRR), and Jackknife Repeated Replication (JRR), which can be found in advanced statistical 

programs such as SUDAAN, AM, or WESVAR, produce similar results. The ELS:2002 analyses 

included in this report used SUDAAN and the Taylor Series procedure to calculate standard 

errors. 

A.3.6 Electronic Codebooks 

An electronic codebook (ECB)12 for the ELS:2002 base-year and first follow-up 

combined data (NCES 2006–346) is available from NCES. The ECB system is primarily an 

electronic version of a fully documented survey codebook. It allows the data user to browse 

through all interview or instrument items (variables) contained in the ELS:2002 data files, to 

search variable and value labels for key words related to particular research questions, to review 

the actual wording of these items along with notes and other pertinent information related to 

them, to examine the definitions and programs used to develop derived variables, and 

importantly, to output the data for statistical analysis. The ECB also provides an electronic 

display of the distribution of counts and percentages for each variable in the dataset. 

Analysts can use the ECB to select or “tag” variables of interest, print hardcopy 

codebooks that display the distributions of the tagged variables, and generate SAS and SPSS 

program syntax (including variable and value labels) that can be used with the analyst’s own 

statistical software. 

Further details of the instrumentation, sample design, data collection results, data 

processing, and data files available for analysis may be found in the Education Longitudinal 

Study of 2002: Base-Year to First Follow-up Data File Documentation (Ingels et al. 2005).13

A.4 Statistical Procedures 

A.4.1 Statistical Significance: Student t Statistics 

Comparisons that have been drawn in the text of this report have been tested for 

statistical significance (set at a probability of .05) to ensure that the differences are larger than 

those that might be expected due to sampling variation. The statistical comparisons in this report 

were based largely on the t statistic. Whether the statistical test is considered significant is 

determined by calculating a t value for the difference between a pair of means or proportions and 

comparing this value to published tables of values, called critical values (cv). The alpha level is 

an a priori statement of the probability that a difference exists in fact rather than by chance. 

The t statistic between estimates from various subgroups presented in the tables can be 

computed by using the following formula: 

 

12 Information on obtaining electronic codebooks for ELS:2002 and other NCES datasets can be found by reviewing 

the data products for the study at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch. 13 See appendix reference list (section A.6) for full citation. The manual can be downloaded from the NCES website: 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

57

( ) 2

2

2

1

1 2

SE SE

x x

t

+

− = , 

where x1 and x2 are the estimates to be compared (e.g., the means of sample members in two 

groups), and SE1 and SE2 are their corresponding standard errors. This formula is valid only for 

independent estimates. 

A.4.2 Substantive Significance: Magnitude of Effect Measures 

For means (specifically, scores from the ELS:2002 mathematics assessment), an effect 

size (or standardized mean difference) has been calculated. The effect size stands as a measure, 

expressed in standard deviation units, of the substantive significance or practical effect of a 

difference. When differences in the means of two distributions are compared and an effect size 

derived, in some circumstances, one distribution may be considered dominant. (For example, in 

an experiment one might employ the standard deviation from the control group.) However, 

where population variances of two groups are highly similar, a pooled standard deviation is 

commonly preferred. For purposes of comparisons drawn in this report, effect sizes were 

calculated as the change in mean test scores divided by their pooled standard deviation. A 

criterion of one-fifth (0.20) of a standard deviation was set as the minimum effect size for 

substantive significance. In other words, differences were not reported in the text unless this 

effect size criterion was met. (To be reported, comparisons also had to meet a criterion of 

statistical significance, set at .05.) With large samples, a level of statistical significance (here set 

at .05) can be reached based on differences that may be quite small and of no likely substantive 

significance. For example, in this report, at level 4 of mathematics achievement, males (38 

percent) were more likely to be represented than were females (32 percent). Here, the t value is 

4.73, well in excess of the required 1.96. However, the effect size is only 0.08 (0.20 is required 

in this report for just a small effect size). 

While 0.20 is seen as a minimum threshold for substantive significance, it also defines a 

small effect. An effect size of half a standard deviation (0.50) or more is typically thought of as a 

medium effect. The threshold for large effects is generally thought to begin with an effect size of 

0.80.14 While tables of effect sizes are not provided in the report, standard deviations are reported 

for mathematics test scores, should readers wish to calculate an effect size. Because some readers 

may choose a pooled standard deviation approach, sample sizes are also reported. 

For proportions, this report has adopted a simple convention of reporting differences only 

if they are 5 percentage points or more. 

A.5 Glossary—Description of Variables Used 

Each variable used in analysis for this report is described below. Variables are 

alphabetized within topics. The topic headings are student demographic characteristics, family 

 

14 For more information about these cutoffs and effect sizes, see Cohen (1988), Murphy and Myers (2004), and 

Seastrom (2003, Guideline 5-1-4F). Although there are recognized strength-of-effect conventions for small, medium, 

and large effect sizes, magnitude of effect is also to a degree relative to context. Size boundaries may vary somewhat 

according to the literature and findings associated with the specific research inquiry at hand (see, for example, 

Wainer and Robinson [2003]). 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

58

characteristics, student educational characteristics, mathematics achievement, expectations for 

the future, postsecondary choice factors, and life values or goals. Some readers may wish to 

consult the original questionnaires to obtain specific item wording and information about the 

context in which particular questions were posed. Web-published PDF files containing the baseyear and first follow-up questionnaires are available at 

http://www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/els2002/index.asp. Some readers may desire to have further 

information about the construction of composite variables (such as socioeconomic status [SES]). 

The code used to construct these variables can be found in the ECB (NCES 2006–346). For users 

who would like to consult codebooks of hardcopy frequencies (including both percent and 

weighted percent) for the variables listed in this glossary, codebooks are also available as an 

appendix of the base-year to first follow-up data manual (Ingels et al. 2005; 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006344). 

When the variable is available in the ELS:2002 base-year to first follow-up data file (see 

the public-use ECB, NCES 2006–346), the variable name appears in parentheses after the bold 

entry name. ELS:2002 variables used to construct a variable that is not provided in the ELS:2002 

base-year data file are named in all capital letters within the descriptive text. 

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS 

NATIVE LANGUAGE (F1STLANG): The data for F1STLANG are taken directly from 

the base-year student questionnaire for base-year respondents or from the first follow-up new 

participant supplement. Otherwise, they are imputed. The native language of the student is 

classified as either English or a language other than English. 

RACE/ETHNICITY (F1RACE): The race/ethnicity variable for this report includes six 

categories: (1) American Indian or Alaska Native; (2) Asian or Pacific Islander, including Native 

Hawaiian; (3) Black, including African American; (4) Hispanic or Latino; (5) More than one 

race; and (6) White. All race categories exclude individuals of Hispanic or Latino origin. 

The ELS:2002 race variables reflect new federal standards for collecting race and 

ethnicity data that allow respondents to mark more than one choice for race. For base-year 

respondents, information on race/ethnicity was obtained from the base-year student questionnaire 

when available or from (in order of preference) the sampling roster, the parent questionnaire if 

the parent respondent was a biological parent, or logical imputation based on other questionnaire 

items (e.g., surname, native language). The base-year race/ethnicity questions were asked in the 

first follow-up for newly participating students (i.e., base-year nonrespondents). 

SEX (F1SEX): For base-year respondents, this variable was constructed from the baseyear student questionnaire or, where missing, from (in order of preference) the school roster, 

logical imputation based on first name, or statistical imputation. In the first follow-up, students 

new to the study were asked whether their sex was male or female. 

AGE (F1DOB_P): Age as of April 2004. This variable was constructed from the 

variable F1DOB_P, which indicates the year and month of birth as reported by the student. From 

this information, students are classified as being 17 years of age or younger, 18 years of age, or 

19 years of age or older. Students born in April 1986 or later were classified as 17 years of age or 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

59

younger. Students born between April 1985 and March 1986 were classified as 18 years of age. 

Students born in March 1985 or earlier were classified as 19 years of age or older. Students with 

missing birth month information in the years 1985 or 1986 were set to missing because their age 

in April 2004 cannot be determined. See table A-6 for weighted response rates. 

SOPHOMORE ENROLLMENT STATUSES TWO YEARS LATER 

FINAL ENROLLMENT STATUS SPRING TERM 2004 (F1ENRFIN): The data for 

the composite variable F1ENRFIN were taken from all available sources, including school 

reports, and reflect first follow-up questionnaire assignments. Sample members are characterized 

as to whether they were spring term 2004 dropouts, early graduates (by virtue of high school 

completion or obtaining a GED, prior to March 15, 2004), spring 2002 sophomores in a 

homeschooled status in spring 2004, students still in their base-year school (regardless of grade), 

or students in another school (i.e., transfers from the base-year school, regardless of grade). For 

purposes of calculating spring term 2002–04 statuses, the base-year to first follow-up panel 

weight (F1PNLWT) was used. The grade 10 cohort flag was used to exclude spring term 2004 

freshened seniors. 

FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS 

FAMILY COMPOSITION/CONFIGURATION (F1FCOMP): F1FCOMP is based on 

BYFCOMP for base-year respondents and a surrogate for first follow-up new participants. New 

participants were asked to answer questions about family composition that were asked of parents 

in the base year. Because family composition can change over time, the variable is only an 

approximation, in that information was gathered at either of two time points (2002 or 2004) 

before combining into one measure. The nine response options include (1) Mother and father, 

(2) Mother and male guardian, (3) Father and female guardian, (4) Two guardians, (5) Mother 

only, (6) Father only, (7) Female guardian only, (8) Male guardian only, and (9) Lives with 

student less than half time. These categories were collapsed into four: Mother and father (1), 

Mother or father and guardian (2 and 3), Single parent—mother or father (5 and 6), and Other (4, 

7, 8, and 9). 

FATHER’S EDUCATION (F1FATHED): The variables F1FATHED and F1MOTHED 

were used to create F1SES1 as well as F1PARED. Father’s highest level of education completed 

is taken from the parent questionnaire (BYP34A or BYP34B, depending on the sex of the 

respondent) or, where missing, from (in order of preference) the student questionnaire (BYS83B) 

or imputation. Eight distinct levels of education were identified: (1) Did not finish high school; 

(2) Graduated from high school or GED; (3) Attended 2-year school, no degree; (4) Graduated 

from 2-year school; (5) Attended college, no 4-year degree; (6) Graduated from college; 

(7) Completed master’s degree or equivalent; and (8) Completed Ph.D., M.D., or other advanced 

degree. Note that for about 1 percent of cases, a respondent classified under mother’s education 

could be a male spouse/partner of a 10th-grader’s biological or adoptive father and vice versa, 

that is, a respondent classified under father’s education could be a female spouse/partner of a 

10th-grader’s biological or adoptive mother.

MOTHER’S EDUCATION (F1MOTHED): Mother’s highest level of education 

completed is taken from the parent questionnaire or, where missing, from (in order of preference) 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

60

the student questionnaire (base year for base-year respondents, first follow-up for base-year 

nonrespondents) or imputation. Eight distinct levels of education are identified: (1) Did not finish 

high school; (2) Graduated from high school or GED; (3) Attended 2-year school, no degree; 

(4) Graduated from 2-year school; (5) Attended college, no 4-year degree; (6) Graduated from 

college; (7) Completed master’s degree or equivalent; and (8) Completed Ph.D., M.D., or other 

advanced degree. (Also see note on father’s education, above.)

PARENTS’ EDUCATION (F1PARED): F1PARED is equivalent to either 

F1MOTHED or F1FATHED, whichever is the highest level of education. For base-year 

respondents, mother’s/father’s highest level of education completed is taken from the parent 

questionnaire or, where missing, from (in order of preference) the base-year student 

questionnaire or imputation. For base-year nonrespondents who were first follow-up 

respondents, this information was taken from the new participant supplement. Eight distinct 

levels of education are identified: (1) Did not finish high school; (2) Graduated from high school 

or GED; (3) Attended 2-year school, no degree; (4) Graduated from 2-year school; (5) Attended 

college, no 4-year degree; (6) Graduated from college; (7) Completed master’s degree or 

equivalent; and (8) Completed Ph.D., M.D., or other advanced degree. For this report, the eight 

levels of PARED were collapsed into four: High school or less (1 and 2); Some college (3, 4, 5); 

College graduation (6); and Graduate/professional degree (7 and 8). For this report, the 

categories were collapsed as follows: High school or less (categories 1 and 2 above); Some 

college (categories 3, 4, and 5 above); College graduation (category 6 above); and graduate/ 

professional degree (categories 7 and 8 above). 

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS (F1SES1QU): Socioeconomic status exists as both a 

continuous variable and as a categorical variable based on weighted quarters. The categorical 

form of the variable (F1SES1Q) divides SES1 into quarters based on the weighted marginal 

distribution. It was recoded to combine the middle two categories of the SES1QU variable. Three 

categories result: (1) lowest quarter of SES1 (i.e., students below the 25th percentile rank for 

SES); (2) middle two quarters of SES1 (i.e., students whose SES percentile rank was at least 

25th and below 75th); and (3) highest quarter of SES1 (i.e., students whose SES percentile rank 

was at least 75th). 

F1SES1 is a NLS-72/HS&B/NELS:88-comparable composite variable constructed from 

parent questionnaire data when available and from imputation or student substitutions when not. 

SES is based on five equally weighted, standardized components: father’s/guardian’s education 

(F1FATHED), mother’s/guardian’s education (F1MOTHED), family income (BYINCOME), 

father’s/guardian’s occupational prestige score (from F1OCCUFATH), and mother’s/guardian’s 

occupational prestige score (from F1OCCUMOTH). 

For a description of how F1FATHED and F1MOTHED were constructed, see above. 

Income was based on parent questionnaire information or imputed otherwise. The parent 

questionnaire was the preferred source of data for OCCUFATH and OCCUMOTH. Parent 

questionnaire respondents were asked to describe the father’s and mother’s occupations and 

subsequently code each into one of 17 categories. If the respondent provided only text, project 

staff coded the occupation. In the absence of parent questionnaire occupation data, studentsupplied parent occupation text from the base year (for base-year respondents) or first follow-up 

(for base-year nonrespondents who responded in the first follow-up) was coded by project staff, 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

61

if possible. Missing occupations were imputed. An occupation prestige value was determined for 

F1OCCUM and F1OCCUF based on the 1961 Duncan SEI index. 

STUDENT EDUCATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS 

HIGHEST MATHEMATICS COURSEWORK (F1HIMATH): This variable indicates 

the highest mathematics for which at least one term of work was completed. F1HIMATH was 

created from 10 variables (F1S17A–F1S17J) and includes five categories: pre-algebra or lower 

(includes general math and consumer math), algebra 1, geometry, algebra 2, and trigonometry/ 

pre-calculus/calculus (all combined into one category). “Other math” is not used, because it is 

relatively uninterpretable in terms of its place in the mathematics course hierarchy. 

SCHOOL SECTOR (BYSCTRL; F1QSTAT): This variable indicates the type of 

school attended by the respondent in the base-year interview. Because school administrator data 

were not collected in the first follow-up, it is not possible to classify the sector of the school 

attended by students who transferred out of their base-year school. Information from F1QSTAT 

(type of questionnaire, if any, administered to F1 respondent) was used to identify these students. 

The resulting variable includes four categories: public school, Catholic school, other private 

school, and transfer student. 

SCHOOL URBANICITY (BYURBAN; F1QSTAT): This variable indicates the location 

of the school attended by the respondent in the base-year interview, taken from the source data 

for school sampling: the Common Core of Data (CCD) 1999–2000 and the Private School 

Survey (PSS) 1999–2000. For this report, the three levels were as follows: Urban—large or midsize central city; Suburban—large or small town or urban fringe of a large or mid-size city; and 

Rural—school in a rural area. Because school administrator data were not collected in the first 

follow-up, it is not possible to classify the location of the school attended by students who 

transferred out of their base-year school. Information from F1QSTAT (type of questionnaire, if 

any, administered to F1 respondent) was used to identify these students. The resulting variable 

includes four categories: urban school, suburban school, rural school, and transfer student. 

MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT 

PROBABILITY OF PROFICIENCY SCORES IN MATHEMATICS (F1TX1MPP, 

F1TX2MPP, F1TX3MPP, F1TX4MPP, F1TX5MPP): In their senior year, mathematics 

achievement tests were administered to students who remained in their base-year school. From 

these tests, criterion-referenced proficiency probability scores were created. These scores are 

based on clusters of items that mark different levels on the mathematics scale developed in 

NELS:88. 

Mathematics levels: 

1. Simple arithmetical operations on whole numbers; 

2. Simple operations with decimals, fractions, powers, and roots; 

3. Simple problem solving, requiring the understanding of low-level mathematical 

concepts; 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

62

4. Understanding of intermediate-level mathematical concepts and/or multistep 

solutions to word problems; and 

5. Complex multistep word problems and/or advanced mathematics material. 

The proficiency levels are hierarchical in the sense that mastery of a higher level typically 

implies proficiency at lower levels. The proficiency probabilities were computed using item 

response theory (IRT)-estimated item parameters calibrated in NELS:88. Each proficiency 

probability represents the likelihood that a student would pass a given proficiency level defined 

as above in the NELS:88 sample. It should be remembered that probability of proficiency scores 

are IRT-derived estimates based on overall performance rather than counts of actual item 

responses. Owing to the two-stage adaptive format of the ELS:2002 base-year assessments, and 

to assignment of forms of varying difficulty in the first follow-up based on the prior round ability 

estimate, not all students received all test items. Nevertheless, the IRT model permits proficiency 

probabilities to be estimated, even for those sophomores who were not administered a particular 

proficiency cluster. Table A-7 shows variable names, descriptions, and summary statistics for the 

five ELS:2002 proficiency probability scores. 

Table A-7. ELS:2002 item response theory (IRT) NELS:88-equated estimated number-right score 

and proficiency probability scores: 2004 

Variable name Description Range Weighted mean 

Weighted standard 

deviation

F1NELS2M Mathematics—NELS-equated estimated 

number right (1992 scale) 

0–81 50.1 14.2

F1TX1MPP Mathematics—level 1 0–1 0.96 0.12

F1TX2MPP Mathematics—level 2 0–1 0.78 0.37

F1TX3MPP Mathematics—level 3 0–1 0.62 0.45

F1TX4MPP Mathematics—level 4 0–1 0.35 0.41

F1TX5MPP Mathematics—level 5 0–1 0.04 0.14

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002). 

This report illustrates a cross-sectional use of the probability of proficiency scores: 

proficiency probabilities are averaged to produce estimates of mastery rates, both overall and 

within population subgroups. (Note that dichotomous proficiency scores [as appeared on the 

NELS:88 dataset], indicating in yes/no fashion whether a given student is proficient at a 

particular level, have not been produced for the ELS:2002 data.) Because the range of the scores 

is zero to one, means can be expressed in percentage form. For example, the weighted mean for 

mastery of math level 1 is 0.96, which is equivalent to saying that 96 percent of test takers 

achieved mastery at this level (simple arithmetical operations on whole numbers). Although the 

continuous probability of proficiency scores can be used to measure status, they are perhaps most 

useful for measuring change. A sophomore trend report (currently in preparation) will illustrate 

the use of the proficiency probabilities in measuring intercohort change (essentially, because 

NELS:88 and ELS:2002 have been equated and are on the same scale, mean gain or loss across 

cohorts at any proficiency level can be measured by subtracting the NELS:88 score from the 

ELS:2002 score). With the addition of the ELS:2002 first follow-up data, the probability of 

proficiency scores can also be used longitudinally to measure achievement gain. Because baseyear and first follow-up data are on the same vertical scale, mean gain (or loss) can be 

determined by subtracting the base-year probability score from the first follow-up probability 

score. Measuring gains in probability of proficiency at each mastery level permits researchers to 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

63

investigate not only the amount of gain in total scale score points but also where (that is, what 

proficiency level) along the score scale different students are making their largest gains in 

achievement between sophomore and senior year. In turn, it is possible to relate gains in specific 

skills to specific school processes or curricular experiences. 

NELS:88-EQUATED IRT NUMBER-RIGHT SCORES (F1NELS2M): The NELS:88-

equated IRT-estimated number-right scores for mathematics are estimates of the number of items 

students would have answered correctly had they taken the NELS:88 exam and responded to all 

items in the mathematics items pool. The NELS:88 item pool contained 81 mathematics items in 

all test forms administered in grades 8, 10, and 12. Table A-7 shows the range, weighted mean, 

and standard deviation for these scores.

Information about test development, administration, and test reliabilities and 

characteristics may be found in Ingels et al. (2005). Basic score reporting conventions follow 

those of NELS:88 (see Rock and Pollack [1995]). 

MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES (F1TXMQU): In addition to the 

criterion-referenced proficiency probability scores, the senior-year mathematics achievement 

tests were used to create a single measure of mathematics achievement. Test scores were 

restandardized to a national mean of 50.0 and standard deviation of 10.0. Test scores were 

imputed for students who had transferred out of their base-year school. They exist as both a 

continuous variable and as a categorical variable based on weighted quarters. The categorical 

form of the variable (F1TXMQU) divides test scores into quarters based on the weighted 

marginal distribution. It was recoded to combine the middle two categories. Three categories 

result: (1) lowest quarter (i.e., students below the 25th percentile of the test score distribution); 

(2) middle two quarters (i.e., students whose test score was at least the 25th percentile and below 

the 75th percentile); and (3) highest quarter (i.e., students whose test score was at least the 75th 

percentile). 

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT: EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE 

EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS (F1STEXP): This variable is taken directly from 

the student questionnaire when available and imputed otherwise. Students were asked, “As 

things stand now, how far in school do you think you will get?”15 The eight response options 

were (1) Less than high school graduation; (2) High school graduation or GED only; (3) Attend 

or complete a 2-year school course in a community college or vocational school; (4) Attend 

college, but not complete a 4-year degree; (5) Graduate from college; (6) Obtain a master’s 

degree or equivalent; (7) Obtain a Ph.D., M.D., or other advanced degree; and (8) Don’t know. 

These categories were collapsed into five: High school diploma or less (1 and 2), Some college 

(3 and 4), College graduate (5), Graduate/professional degree (6 and 7), and Don’t know (8). 

 

15 While the expectations for educational attainment variable is subject to the limitations of single-item measures, it is 

repeated over time, that is, asked on a cross-round basis. It has been one of the most frequently employed variables 

in analyses of both HS&B data and NELS:88, showing expected relationships with related variables when 

incorporated into multivariate models (see, for example, Kao and Tienda [1998]; Plank and Jordan [2001]; SmithMaddox [1999, 2000]). Cross-round analyses in NELS:88 show that the expectation question behaves the way it 

“should” (in relation to what is theoretically expected) over time, with diminishing expectations as students 

accumulate a more realistic picture of their capacities and the world (see McLaughlin and Cohen [1997]). 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

64

POSTSECONDARY PLANS (F1PSEPLN): This variable is constructed from student 

questionnaire variables F1S47 and F1S49 and includes five categories: (1) Don’t plan to 

continue; (2) Don’t know if will continue; (3) Plan to attend a 4-year college or university; 

(4) Plan to attend a 2-year college or university; and (5) Plan to attend a vocational, technical, or 

trade school. Early graduates already enrolled in a postsecondary institution are set to missing. 

See table A-6 for the weighted response rates of the two constituent questions. 

POSTSECONDARY CHOICE FACTORS 

CHOOSING A COLLEGE (F1S52A-R): These variables are taken directly from the 

student questionnaire. Students rated a series of factors in their selection of a postsecondary 

institution as either very important, somewhat important, or not important. See table A-6 for the 

weighted response rates. 

LIFE VALUES OR GOALS 

LIFE VALUES (F1S54A-G, F1S40J-P, F1S4OR): These variables are taken directly 

from the student questionnaire. Students rated a series of life values related to work and 

education, family and friends, and community as either very important, somewhat important, or 

not important. See table A-6 for weighted response rates. 

A.6 Appendix A References 

Burns, L.J., Heuer, R., Ingels, S.J., Pollack, J.M., Pratt, D.J., Rock, D., Rogers, J., Scott, L.A., 

Siegel, P., and Stutts, E. (2003). ELS:2002 Base Year Field Test Report (NCES Working 

Paper 2003–03). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for 

Education Statistics. 

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: 

Erlbaum. 

Fetters, W.B., Stowe, P.S., and Owings, J.A. (1984). Quality of Responses of High School 

Students to Questionnaire Items, High School and Beyond (NCES 84–216). U.S. 

Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: 

U.S. Government Printing Office. 

Ingels, S.J., Pratt, D.J., Rogers, J., Siegel, P.H., and Stutts, E.S. (2004). Education Longitudinal 

Study of 2002: Base Year Data File User’s Manual (NCES 2004–405). U.S. Department 

of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Available: 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch. 

Ingels, S.J., Pratt, D.J., Rogers, J., Siegel, P.H., and Stutts, E.S. (2005). Education Longitudinal 

Study of 2002: Base-Year to First Follow-up Data File Documentation (NCES 2006–

344). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 

Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Available: 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

Kao, G., and Tienda, M. (1998). Educational Aspirations of Minority Youth. American Journal 

of Education, 106(3): 349–384. 
Appendix A: 

Technical Notes and Glossary

65

Kaufman, P., and Rasinski, K. (1991). Quality of the Responses of Eighth-grade Students in 

NELS:88 (NCES 91–487). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 

Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

Lemke, M., Lippman, L., Bairu, G., Calsyn, C., Kruger, T., Jocelyn, L., Kastberg, D., Liu, Y., 

Roey, S., and Williams, T. (2001). Outcomes of Learning: Results from the 2000 

Program for International Student Assessment of 15-Year-Olds in Reading, Mathematics, 

and Science Literacy (NCES 2002–115). U.S. Department of Education, National Center 

for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

McLaughlin, D.H., and Cohen, J. (1997). NELS:88 Survey Item Evaluation Report (NCES 97–

052). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 

Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

Murphy, K.R., and Myers, B. (2004). Statistical Power Analysis (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: 

Erlbaum. 

Plank, S.B., and Jordan, W.J. (2001). Effects of Information, Guidance, and Actions on 

Postsecondary Destinations: A Study of Talent Loss. American Educational Research 

Journal, 38(4): 947–979. 

Rock, D.A., and Pollack, J.M. (1995). Psychometric Report for the NELS:88 Base Year Through 

Second Follow-Up (NCES 95–382). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for 

Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 

Seastrom, M. (2003). NCES Statistical Standards (NCES 2003–601). U.S. Department of 

Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government 

Printing Office. Available: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2003601. 

Smith-Maddox, R. (1999). The Social Networks and Resources of African American 8th 

Graders: Evidence From the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988. 

Adolescence, 34(133): 169–183. 

Smith-Maddox, R. (2000). Educational Aspirations of African American Eighth Graders. Race, 

Gender & Class in Education, 7(3): 58–80. 

Wainer, H., and Robinson, D.H. (2003). Shaping Up the Practice of Null Hypothesis 

Significance Testing. Educational Researcher, 32(7). 

67 

Appendix B 

Standard Error Tables 

Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

69 

Table B-1. Standard errors for table 1 estimates (percentage of high school seniors, by selected 

student characteristics): 2004 

Characteristic Percent 

Sex 

Male 0.55 

Female 0.55 

Age 

17 or younger 0.57 

18 0.59 

19 or older 0.26 

Race/ethnicity1

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.22 

Asian or Pacific Islander 0.29 

Black or African American 0.65 

Hispanic or Latino 0.78 

More than one race 0.23 

White 0.97 

Native language2

English 0.56 

Non-English 0.56 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.60 

Mother or father and guardian 0.40 

Single parent (mother or father) 0.46 

Other3 0.22 

Parents' education 

High school or less 0.63 

Some college 0.57 

College graduation 0.50 

Graduate/professional degree 0.57 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 0.66 

Middle two quarters 0.66 

Highest quarter 0.80 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

70

Table B-1. Standard errors for table 1 estimates (percentage of high school seniors, by selected 

student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic Percent 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 0.32 

Algebra 1 0.35 

Geometry 0.49 

Algebra 2 0.66 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus 0.77 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 0.25 

Some college 0.48 

College graduation 0.50 

Graduate/professional degree 0.59 

Don't know 0.33 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 0.14 

Don't know if will continue 0.27 

Four-year institution 0.71 

Two-year community college 0.55 

Vocational, technical, or trade school 0.31 

School sector 

Public 0.45 

Catholic 0.19 

Other private 0.25 

Transfer4 0.35 

School urbanicity 

Urban 0.72 

Suburban 0.81 

Rural 0.69 

Transfer4 0.35 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
71 

Table B-2. Standard errors for table 2 estimates (percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of spe

knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics): 2004 

 Level 11 Level 22 Level 33 Level 44 

Characteristic 

Sample 

(n) SE SD SE SD SE SD SE SD 

Total 13,420 0.16 12.32 0.59 36.42 0.77 44.83 0.72 40.64 

Sex 

Male 6,650 0.22 12.72 0.71 35.91 0.88 44.48 0.81 41.77 

Female 6,770 0.19 11.91 0.72 36.88 0.91 45.12 0.86 39.28 

Age 

17 or younger 5,490 0.16 9.19 0.68 32.99 0.94 43.34 0.92 40.88 

18 7,190 0.19 11.89 0.69 36.46 0.85 44.80 0.78 40.88 19 or older 670 1.05 23.55 2.00 44.39 1.91 41.06 1.21 25.51 

Race/ethnicity6

American Indian or Alaska 

Native 110 1.72 12.40 5.28 41.02 5.94 44.66 3.39 29.05 

Asian or Pacific Islander 1,410 0.33 9.31 1.38 30.70 1.97 40.67 2.42 43.46 

Black or African American 1,670 0.51 16.28 1.55 42.55 1.56 43.48 0.90 25.87 

Hispanic or Latino 1,840 0.48 16.45 1.32 41.85 1.51 45.22 1.13 32.33 

More than one race 590 0.81 14.77 2.03 37.08 2.51 45.34 2.16 39.58 

White 7,810 0.14 9.55 0.52 30.90 0.73 41.12 0.80 41.66 

Native language7

English 11,160 0.15 11.29 0.57 35.02 0.75 44.05 0.73 40.94 

Non-English 2,260 0.53 17.12 1.46 42.02 1.68 46.21 1.39 36.55 

See notes at end of table. 
72 

Table B-2. Standard errors for table 2 estimates (percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of spe

knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

 Level 11 Level 22 Level 33 Level 44 

Characteristic 

Sample 

(n) SE SD SE SD SE SD SE SD 

Family composition 

Mother and father 8,400 0.17 10.72 0.60 33.39 0.80 42.92 0.80 41.85 

Mother or father and guardian 1,890 0.34 12.39 1.04 37.23 1.31 45.51 1.16 37.68 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 2,640 0.36 14.24 1.07 40.42 1.22 46.17 0.99 37.32 

Other8 500 1.07 19.80 2.27 42.75 2.34 44.86 1.32 27.57 

Parents' education 

High school or less 3,190 0.32 15.80 0.96 41.32 1.15 45.67 0.79 32.63 

Some college 4,330 0.23 11.89 0.77 36.71 1.00 45.17 0.79 37.89 College graduation 3,190 0.23 9.94 0.77 32.04 0.99 41.66 1.13 41.82 

Graduate/professional degree 2,720 0.27 9.31 0.84 27.49 1.12 36.20 1.30 42.23 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 2,840 0.36 16.36 1.10 42.52 1.19 44.61 0.80 29.75 Middle two quarters 6,480 0.20 12.13 0.66 36.21 0.82 44.84 0.70 38.66 

Highest quarter 4,110 0.17 7.05 0.52 23.29 0.77 34.00 1.04 41.30 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 580 1.32 25.08 2.33 42.12 1.86 33.83 0.81 15.93 

Algebra 1 690 0.85 17.05 2.03 41.94 1.61 34.46 0.65 14.21 

Geometry 1,550 0.41 13.66 1.50 41.08 1.52 42.99 0.91 23.48 

Algebra 2 3,840 0.23 9.94 0.91 35.17 1.17 44.27 0.81 30.81 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or 

calculus 6,650 0.11 6.42 0.45 22.03 0.69 32.57 0.93 40.53 

See notes at end of table. 
73 

Table B-2. Standard errors for table 2 estimates (percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of spe

knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

 Level 11 Level 22 Level 33 Level 44 

Characteristic 

Sample 

(n) SE SD SE SD SE SD SE SD 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 600 1.13 24.24 2.14 44.50 1.93 39.03 0.98 21.32 Some college 2,160 0.43 15.10 1.20 41.87 1.23 43.58 0.69 25.63 

College graduation 4,510 0.17 8.80 0.66 32.07 0.89 42.55 0.86 40.23 

Graduate/professional 

degree 5,120 0.12 6.36 0.55 25.23 0.85 36.97 0.99 42.01 

Don't know 1,040 0.68 18.04 1.69 43.46 1.75 45.18 1.22 31.20 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 190 1.92 24.24 3.77 44.40 3.29 39.12 1.60 21.44 

Don't know if will 

continue 740 0.90 19.82 2.03 44.29 2.02 44.66 1.29 29.11 

Four-year institution 8,800 0.11 7.37 0.49 28.35 0.74 39.41 0.81 42.03 

Two-year community 

college 2,750 0.32 14.17 1.04 41.20 1.06 45.11 0.77 30.26 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 910 0.73 18.26 1.79 42.10 1.78 44.30 1.05 25.93 

School sector 

Public 9,400 0.18 12.69 0.65 36.85 0.84 45.02 0.79 40.52 

Catholic 1,720 0.11 3.67 0.72 21.85 1.19 33.74 1.87 41.00 

Other private 1,140 0.24 6.54 1.05 21.95 1.98 33.19 2.72 41.24 

Transfer9 1,160 0.46 12.77 1.48 39.18 1.80 45.61 1.29 33.38 

See notes at end of table. 
74 

Table B-2. Standard errors for table 2 estimates (percentage of high school seniors demonstrating mastery of spe

knowledge and skills, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

 Level 11 Level 22 Level 33 Level 44 

Characteristic 

Sample 

(n) SE SD SE SD SE SD SE SD 

School urbanicity 

Urban 3,970 0.40 14.26 1.42 38.08 1.73 45.66 1.54 40.46 

Suburban 6,010 0.21 11.37 0.76 35.16 1.03 44.12 1.06 41.40 

Rural 2,280 0.25 11.39 0.98 35.32 1.41 43.95 1.28 40.53 

Transfer9 1,160 0.46 12.77 1.48 39.18 1.80 45.61 1.29 33.38 

† Not applicable. 1 Math level 1: Simple arithmetical operations on whole numbers: essentially, single-step operations that rely on rote memory. 2 Math level 2: Simple operations with decimals, fractions, powers, and roots. 3 Math level 3: Simple problem solving, requiring the understanding of low-level mathematical concepts. 4 Math level 4: Understanding of intermediate-level mathematical concepts and/or having the ability to formulate multistep solutions to wo5 Math level 5: Proficiency in solving complex multistep word problems and/or having the ability to demonstrate knowledge of material fou

mathematics courses. 

6 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 7 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 8 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student less than half of the ti9 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first follow-up survey, limiting available in 12th grade. 

NOTE: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), “F
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

75 

Table B-3. Standard errors for table 3 estimates (percentage of high school seniors, by expected 

level of educational attainment and selected student characteristics): 2004 

Characteristic 

High 

school or 

less 

Some 

college 

College 

graduate 

(4-year degree) 

Graduate/ 

professional 

school Don't know 

Total 0.25 0.48 0.50 0.59 0.33 

 

Sex 

Male 0.40 0.66 0.71 0.75 0.45 

Female 0.26 0.60 0.69 0.81 0.42 

 

Age 

17 or younger 0.29 0.66 0.74 0.91 0.50 

18 0.34 0.62 0.67 0.74 0.40 

19 or older 1.74 2.07 1.85 1.91 1.70 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or Alaska Native 3.04 4.24 6.06 6.33 3.12 

Asian or Pacific Islander 0.50 1.34 1.65 1.99 0.80 

Black or African American 0.64 1.22 1.33 1.56 0.79 

Hispanic or Latino 0.74 1.35 1.32 1.24 1.03 

More than one race 1.33 1.83 2.56 2.29 1.70 

White 0.29 0.58 0.62 0.74 0.37 

 

Native language2

 

English 0.26 0.49 0.53 0.63 0.33 

Non-English 0.67 1.34 1.32 1.33 0.88 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.29 0.53 0.64 0.75 0.36 

Mother or father and guardian 0.64 1.00 1.31 1.23 0.77 

Single parent (mother or father) 0.54 1.04 1.06 1.07 0.74 

Other3

 1.19 2.53 2.10 2.42 2.05 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 0.62 1.01 1.00 0.83 0.65 

Some college 0.40 0.70 0.83 0.81 0.54 

College graduation 0.36 0.73 1.13 1.16 0.57 

Graduate/professional degree 0.32 0.64 1.03 1.21 0.63 

 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 0.65 1.03 1.05 0.85 0.69 

Middle two quarters 0.33 0.57 0.65 0.69 0.47 

Highest quarter 0.22 0.57 0.96 1.05 0.46 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

76 

Table B-3. Standard errors for table 3 estimates (percentage of high school seniors, by expected 

level of educational attainment and selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

High 

school or 

less 

Some 

college 

College 

graduate 

(4-year degree) 

Graduate/ 

professional 

school Don't know 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 1.86 2.15 1.96 1.57 2.09 

Algebra 1 1.58 1.89 1.96 1.27 1.74 

Geometry 0.87 1.34 1.34 1.22 1.05 

Algebra 2 0.39 0.88 0.94 0.84 0.56 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or 

calculus 0.16 0.46 0.75 0.82 0.31 

 

Mathematics achievement test 

Lowest quarter 0.73 0.99 1.01 0.83 0.80 

Middle two quarters 0.29 0.64 0.70 0.73 0.43 

Highest quarter 0.16 0.42 1.00 1.10 0.38 

 

School sector 

Public 0.29 0.54 0.56 0.64 0.36 

Catholic 0.25 0.63 1.40 1.68 0.46 

Other private 0.35 1.03 2.04 2.56 0.77 

Transfer4

 0.93 1.56 1.67 1.66 1.21 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 0.45 1.01 1.01 1.18 0.65 

Suburban 0.37 0.63 0.74 0.88 0.47 

Rural 0.65 1.28 1.05 1.16 0.68 

Transfer4

 0.93 1.56 1.67 1.66 1.21 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

77 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school 

seniors who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very 

important” to their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—

Part I 

Characteristic 

Strong 

academic 

reputation 

Availability 

of financial 

aid 

Easy 

admissions 

standards 

Low 

expenses 

Good job 

placement 

record 

for its 

graduates 

Availability of 

specific 

courses or 

curriculum 

Total 0.60 0.69 0.54 0.63 0.65 0.58 

 

Sex 

Male 0.84 0.87 0.71 0.81 0.86 0.79 

Female 0.78 0.88 0.71 0.84 0.75 0.75 

 

Age 

17 or younger 0.92 1.01 0.79 0.89 0.91 0.88 

18 0.78 0.82 0.66 0.79 0.80 0.74 

19 or older 2.50 2.49 2.41 2.42 2.46 2.59 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 7.01 4.97 6.31 4.88 6.09 5.73 

Asian or Pacific Islander 1.78 2.14 1.62 1.91 1.89 1.93 

Black or African 

American 1.45 1.36 1.67 1.58 1.53 1.21 

Hispanic or Latino 1.32 1.50 1.29 1.37 1.38 1.53 

More than one race 2.92 2.87 2.46 2.86 2.74 2.89 

White 0.77 0.81 0.55 0.76 0.77 0.74 

 

Native language2

 

English 0.66 0.73 0.58 0.67 0.71 0.63 

Non-English 1.52 1.55 1.30 1.43 1.34 1.53 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.76 0.84 0.64 0.74 0.78 0.72 

Mother or father and 

guardian 1.44 1.38 1.28 1.42 1.44 1.34 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 1.30 1.22 1.13 1.29 1.26 1.16 

Other3

 2.83 2.51 2.82 2.67 2.78 2.69 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 1.15 1.10 1.08 1.17 1.09 1.18 

Some college 0.99 0.93 0.79 0.94 1.00 0.94 

College graduation 1.07 1.14 0.90 1.15 1.20 1.11 

Graduate/professional 

degree 1.14 1.45 1.06 1.13 1.39 1.22 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

78 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school 

seniors who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very 

important” to their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—

Part I—Continued 

Characteristic 

Strong 

academic 

reputation 

Availability 

of financial 

aid 

Easy 

admissions 

standards 

Low 

expenses 

Good job 

placement 

record 

for its 

graduates 

Availability of 

specific 

courses or 

curriculum 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 1.25 1.11 1.14 1.23 1.11 1.24 

Middle two quarters 0.80 0.84 0.74 0.84 0.81 0.73 

Highest quarter 1.01 1.12 0.68 0.88 1.13 1.03 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 2.94 2.77 2.50 2.72 2.44 2.42 

Algebra 1 2.23 2.57 2.20 2.28 2.31 2.58 

Geometry 1.62 1.65 1.49 1.54 1.55 1.70 

Algebra 2 0.99 1.15 1.01 1.12 1.04 1.00 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus 0.80 0.93 0.59 0.85 0.92 0.78 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 3.46 3.70 3.75 3.43 3.74 3.62 

Some college 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.26 1.37 

College graduation 0.90 1.03 0.79 0.93 1.02 0.91 

Graduate/professional 

degree 0.77 1.04 0.65 0.86 0.99 0.88 

Don't know 2.23 1.90 1.94 2.24 2.25 2.25 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue † † † † † † 

Don't know if will 

continue 7.80 7.80 5.99 7.71 7.82 8.21 

Four-year institution 0.68 0.85 0.59 0.70 0.81 0.68 

Two-year community 

college 1.24 1.18 1.07 1.17 1.20 1.22 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 1.76 1.94 1.83 1.79 1.84 1.89 

 

Mathematics achievement 

 test 

Lowest quarter 1.25 1.18 1.16 1.19 1.16 1.18 

Middle two quarters 0.79 0.92 0.67 0.76 0.79 0.75 

Highest quarter 1.06 1.22 0.51 0.94 1.19 1.05 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

79 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school 

seniors who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very 

important” to their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—

Part I—Continued 

Characteristic 

Strong 

academic 

reputation 

Availability 

of financial 

aid 

Easy 

admissions 

standards 

Low 

expenses 

Good job 

placement 

record 

for its 

graduates 

Availability of 

specific 

courses or 

curriculum 

School sector 

Public 0.67 0.79 0.59 0.71 0.74 0.64 

Catholic 1.65 1.62 1.12 1.27 1.64 1.45 

Other private 2.41 2.20 1.49 2.35 2.20 1.90 

Transfer4

 1.78 1.67 1.70 1.64 1.59 1.71 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 1.14 1.44 1.17 1.22 1.32 1.04 

Suburban 0.86 1.07 0.75 0.92 0.98 0.89 

Rural 1.48 1.30 1.02 1.44 1.37 1.19 

Transfer4

 1.78 1.67 1.70 1.64 1.59 1.71 

† Not applicable. 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

80 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school seniors 

who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very important” to 

their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Part II 

Characteristic 

Athletic 

program 

Active 

social life 

Living at 

home 

Away 

from 

home Low crime 

Good 

graduate 

school 

placement 

 Total 0.40 0.55 0.61 0.55 0.57 0.61 

 

Sex 

Male 0.65 0.81 0.75 0.76 0.77 0.78 

Female 0.46 0.70 0.78 0.75 0.77 0.80 

 

Age 

17 or younger 0.63 0.91 0.82 0.84 0.91 0.85 

18 0.51 0.68 0.72 0.72 0.74 0.76 

19 or older 1.94 2.57 2.47 2.36 2.46 2.70 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 5.97 6.53 5.83 5.60 7.89 6.85 

Asian or Pacific Islander 1.00 1.52 1.63 1.84 2.18 1.72 

Black or African 

American 1.41 1.41 1.35 1.63 1.55 1.40 

Hispanic or Latino 1.07 1.29 1.65 1.26 1.38 1.58 

More than one race 2.22 2.74 2.28 2.53 2.74 2.63 

White 0.43 0.70 0.70 0.71 0.69 0.72 

 

Native language2

 

English 0.43 0.59 0.59 0.61 0.64 0.66 

Non-English 0.96 1.46 1.58 1.17 1.34 1.40 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.48 0.69 0.72 0.65 0.71 0.72 

Mother or father and 

guardian 0.95 1.21 1.28 1.32 1.44 1.44 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 0.91 1.15 1.17 1.08 1.17 1.30 

Other3

 2.19 2.91 2.71 3.01 2.62 3.00 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 0.80 0.97 1.09 0.98 1.14 1.12 

Some college 0.71 0.83 0.87 0.85 0.89 1.00 

College graduation 0.78 1.14 1.02 1.06 1.07 1.11 

Graduate/professional 

degree 0.96 1.28 0.96 1.30 1.25 1.19 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

81 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school seniors 

who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very important” to 

their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Part II—

Continued 

Characteristic 

Athletic 

program 

Active 

social life 

Living at 

home 

Away 

from 

home Low crime 

Good 

graduate 

school 

placement 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 0.83 1.02 1.15 0.98 1.16 1.19 

Middle two quarters 0.61 0.75 0.76 0.76 0.80 0.83 

Highest quarter 0.72 1.09 0.70 1.01 0.88 0.97 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 1.94 2.27 2.59 2.28 2.84 2.52 

Algebra 1 1.87 2.11 2.60 2.36 2.48 2.52 

Geometry 1.28 1.53 1.48 1.36 1.44 1.62 

Algebra 2 0.75 0.94 1.12 0.94 0.96 1.07 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus 0.54 0.85 0.69 0.77 0.77 0.85 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 2.84 3.91 3.62 3.42 4.03 3.78 

Some college 1.01 1.07 1.29 1.13 1.35 1.27 

College graduation 0.69 0.91 0.86 0.88 0.89 0.94 

Graduate/professional 

degree 0.62 0.83 0.77 0.81 0.93 0.89 

Don't know 1.31 1.83 1.95 1.69 2.00 1.95 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue † † † † † † 

Don't know if will continue 4.98 6.20 7.15 6.88 8.10 7.81 

Four-year institution 0.49 0.73 0.63 0.69 0.70 0.76 

Two-year community 

college 0.82 0.93 1.08 0.96 1.10 1.12 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 1.10 1.60 1.92 1.48 1.83 1.70 

 

Mathematics achievement 

 test 

Lowest quarter 1.05 1.03 1.16 1.26 1.23 1.25 

Middle two quarters 0.58 0.72 0.74 0.68 0.75 0.77 

Highest quarter 0.61 1.15 0.73 1.09 1.01 1.12 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

82 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school seniors 

who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very important” to 

their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Part II—

Continued 

Characteristic 

Athletic 

program 

Active 

social life 

Living at 

home 

Away 

from 

home Low crime 

Good 

graduate 

school 

placement 

School sector 

Public 0.45 0.64 0.68 0.60 0.64 0.67 

Catholic 0.91 1.66 1.25 1.86 1.00 1.61 

Other private 1.25 1.81 2.34 2.80 1.93 2.10 

Transfer4

 1.38 1.61 1.82 1.75 1.80 1.78 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 0.81 1.10 1.32 1.15 1.12 1.19 

Suburban 0.60 0.81 0.84 0.78 0.83 0.87 

Rural 0.77 1.42 1.32 1.12 1.20 1.25 

Transfer4

 1.38 1.61 1.82 1.75 1.80 1.78 

† Not applicable. 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

83 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school seniors 

who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very important” to 

their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Part III 

Characteristic 

Degree in 

chosen field 

Racial/ethnic 

makeup 

School 

size 

Geographic 

location 

Same 

school as 

one parent 

attended 

Acceptance 

of college 

credit 

 Total 0.54 0.42 0.41 0.50 0.21 0.55 

 

Sex 

Male 0.80 0.57 0.53 0.64 0.31 0.68 

Female 0.64 0.55 0.54 0.72 0.26 0.75 

 

Age 

17 or younger 0.81 0.58 0.64 0.78 0.30 0.78 

18 0.70 0.52 0.54 0.70 0.26 0.66 

19 or older 2.18 2.23 1.92 2.14 1.41 2.56 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 5.11 4.73 4.34 5.80 1.02 4.02 

Asian or Pacific Islander 1.79 1.46 1.41 1.61 0.44 1.82 

Black or African 

American 1.02 1.40 1.15 1.11 0.76 1.60 

Hispanic or Latino 1.24 1.19 0.86 1.12 0.54 1.34 

More than one race 2.41 2.40 1.93 2.27 1.04 2.29 

White 0.71 0.41 0.53 0.64 0.22 0.60 

 

Native language2

 

English 0.58 0.43 0.45 0.53 0.22 0.56 

Non-English 1.32 1.36 1.06 1.35 0.65 1.46 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.68 0.47 0.53 0.64 0.22 0.67 

Mother or father and 

guardian 1.30 0.99 0.91 1.22 0.52 1.18 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 0.97 0.97 0.91 0.96 0.51 1.14 

Other3 2.42 2.23 2.10 2.43 1.28 2.48 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 0.89 0.92 0.87 1.01 0.49 1.10 

Some college 0.84 0.74 0.63 0.73 0.37 0.85 

College graduation 1.02 0.78 0.86 0.99 0.36 1.00 

Graduate/professional 

degree 1.27 0.90 1.15 1.21 0.47 1.17 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

84 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school seniors 

who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very important” to 

their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Part III—

Continued 

Characteristic 

Degree in 

chosen field 

Racial/ethnic 

makeup School size 

Geographic 

location 

Same 

school as 

one parent 

attended 

Acceptance 

of college 

credit 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 0.89 0.93 0.86 1.00 0.53 1.15 

Middle two quarters 0.73 0.56 0.53 0.68 0.30 0.74 

Highest quarter 1.03 0.65 0.84 1.02 0.27 0.85 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 2.61 2.22 1.81 2.19 1.43 2.65 

Algebra 1 2.32 1.98 1.52 1.89 0.85 2.33 

Geometry 1.58 1.35 1.20 1.47 0.75 1.44 

Algebra 2 0.87 0.74 0.73 0.88 0.38 0.98 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or calculus 0.76 0.55 0.62 0.74 0.24 0.74 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 3.71 3.23 3.17 3.28 2.52 3.79 

Some college 1.37 1.06 0.82 1.03 0.57 1.13 

College graduation 0.84 0.64 0.66 0.87 0.33 0.85 

Graduate/professional 

degree 0.80 0.63 0.67 0.80 0.26 0.88 

Don't know 2.03 1.55 1.42 1.61 0.89 1.94 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue † † † † † † 

Don't know if will continue 7.53 6.19 2.46 4.89 0.66 6.32 

Four-year institution 0.66 0.49 0.52 0.64 0.22 0.67 

Two-year community 

college 1.09 0.84 0.75 0.84 0.46 1.07 

Vocational, technical, or 

trade school 1.84 1.29 1.17 1.52 0.79 1.42 

 

Mathematics achievement 

 test 

Lowest quarter 1.03 1.00 0.88 0.95 0.65 1.17 

Middle two quarters 0.71 0.53 0.52 0.68 0.22 0.73 

Highest quarter 1.03 0.53 0.81 0.95 0.23 0.95 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

85 

Table B-4. Standard errors for table 4 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school seniors 

who reported various features of postsecondary institutions were “very important” to 

their choice of a college, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Part III—

Continued 

Characteristic 

Degree in 

chosen field 

Racial/ethnic 

makeup School size 

Geographic 

location 

Same 

school as 

one parent 

attended 

Acceptance 

of college 

credit 

School sector 

Public 0.62 0.45 0.45 0.56 0.25 0.62 

Catholic 1.47 1.05 1.16 1.60 0.27 1.02 

Other private 1.61 1.15 1.81 1.98 0.47 1.89 

Transfer4

 1.33 1.64 1.09 1.52 0.54 1.81 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 1.16 0.89 0.73 1.03 0.46 1.17 

Suburban 0.77 0.55 0.61 0.69 0.30 0.77 

Rural 1.29 0.80 0.93 1.16 0.45 1.15 

Transfer4

 1.33 1.64 1.09 1.52 0.54 1.81 

† Not applicable. 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

86 

Table B-5. Standard errors for table 5 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to education and work were “very important” to them, 

by selected student characteristics): 2004 

Characteristic 

Getting a 

good 

education 

Being 

successful 

in line of 

work 

Becoming 

an expert in 

field of work 

Having lots 

of money 

Being able 

to find 

steady work 

Having 

leisure time 

to enjoy own 

interest 

 Total 0.37 0.33 0.47 0.58 0.40 0.55 

 

Sex 

Male 0.63 0.49 0.66 0.80 0.55 0.69 

Female 0.37 0.40 0.66 0.69 0.49 0.74 

 

Age 

17 or younger 0.52 0.48 0.68 0.87 0.60 0.83 

18 0.50 0.43 0.65 0.77 0.50 0.71 

19 or older 1.35 1.40 1.84 2.40 1.61 2.22 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 3.69 4.14 4.37 5.13 3.05 4.38 

Asian or Pacific Islander 0.92 0.99 1.61 1.94 1.37 1.62 

Black or African 

American 0.60 0.56 0.97 1.38 0.89 1.32 

Hispanic or Latino 0.75 0.97 1.15 1.43 0.87 1.38 

More than one race 1.93 1.57 2.34 2.50 1.80 2.46 

White 0.48 0.41 0.58 0.68 0.52 0.68 

 

Native language2

 

English 0.40 0.34 0.50 0.61 0.42 0.60 

Non-English 0.74 0.86 1.12 1.28 1.03 1.34 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.45 0.38 0.60 0.70 0.52 0.64 

Mother or father and 

guardian 0.91 0.73 1.31 1.27 0.99 1.28 

Single parent (mother or 

father) 0.84 0.69 0.94 1.19 0.71 1.11 

Other3

 1.19 1.91 2.26 2.74 1.56 2.75 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 0.70 0.61 0.91 1.02 0.68 1.03 

Some college 0.59 0.57 0.76 0.91 0.62 0.89 

College graduation 0.74 0.64 1.07 1.08 0.75 0.98 

Graduate/professional 

degree 0.69 0.68 1.19 1.25 0.98 1.05 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

87 

Table B-5. Standard errors for table 5 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to education and work were “very important” to them, 

by selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Getting a 

good 

education 

Being 

successful 

in line of 

work 

Becoming 

an expert in 

field of work 

Having lots 

of money 

Being able 

to find 

steady work 

Having 

leisure time 

to enjoy own 

interest 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 0.72 0.68 0.98 1.06 0.79 1.01 

Middle two quarters 0.48 0.46 0.62 0.80 0.48 0.75 

Highest quarter 0.61 0.52 0.99 0.96 0.82 0.78 

 

Highest mathematics 

 coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 1.68 1.56 2.13 2.66 1.65 2.46 

Algebra 1 1.58 1.53 1.74 2.32 1.34 2.18 

Geometry 1.16 0.90 1.29 1.57 0.93 1.41 

Algebra 2 0.67 0.57 0.82 1.02 0.65 0.90 

Trigonometry, precalculus, or 

calculus 0.48 0.40 0.71 0.77 0.63 0.73 

 

Student's educational 

 expectations 

High school or less 2.27 1.90 2.27 2.49 1.64 2.27 

Some college 0.96 0.80 1.04 1.20 0.84 1.21 

College graduation 0.62 0.52 0.81 0.93 0.65 0.87 

Graduate/professional 

degree 0.32 0.33 0.78 0.86 0.60 0.84 

Don't know 1.28 1.25 1.65 1.80 1.37 1.74 

 

Postsecondary education 

 plans 

Don't plan to continue 3.82 3.32 3.68 4.34 3.02 3.82 

Don't know if will 

continue 1.83 1.77 2.08 2.13 1.57 2.07 

Four-year institution 0.34 0.34 0.58 0.72 0.52 0.63 

Two-year community 

college 0.82 0.74 1.04 1.18 0.88 1.12 

Vocational, technical, 

or trade school 1.41 1.21 1.48 1.60 1.23 1.77 

 

Mathematics 

 achievement test 

Lowest quarter 0.67 0.67 0.89 1.22 0.72 1.04 

Middle two quarters 0.57 0.40 0.62 0.75 0.52 0.74 

Highest quarter 0.74 0.60 1.02 1.00 0.81 0.90 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

88 

Table B-5. Standard errors for table 5 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to education and work were “very important” to them, 

by selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Getting a 

good 

education 

Being 

successful 

in line of 

work 

Becoming 

an expert in 

field of work 

Having lots 

of money 

Being able 

to find 

steady work 

Having 

leisure time 

to enjoy own 

interest 

School sector 

Public 0.42 0.36 0.51 0.67 0.45 0.59 

Catholic 0.86 0.68 1.24 1.71 0.97 1.54 

Other private 1.19 1.12 1.59 1.87 1.70 2.72 

Transfer4

 0.92 1.20 1.46 1.65 1.18 1.66 

 

School urbanicity 

Urban 0.65 0.66 0.97 1.18 0.84 1.01 

Suburban 0.59 0.43 0.63 0.89 0.59 0.75 

Rural 0.79 0.78 1.11 1.29 0.85 1.37 

Transfer4

 0.92 1.20 1.46 1.65 1.18 1.66 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

89 

Table B-6. Standard errors for table 6 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to family and friends were “very important” to them, by 

selected student characteristics): 2004 

Characteristic 

Finding right 

person to 

marry and 

having happy 

family life Having children 

Being able to 

give my 

children better 

opportunities 

than I've had 

Having strong 

friendships 

 Total 0.46 0.55 0.45 0.41 

 

Sex 

Male 0.63 0.75 0.64 0.56 

Female 0.64 0.78 0.58 0.57 

Age 

17 or younger 0.74 0.90 0.66 0.59 

18 0.57 0.72 0.61 0.55 

19 or older 1.67 2.21 1.49 1.98 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or Alaska Native 6.94 5.68 4.96 6.46 

Asian or Pacific Islander 1.38 1.97 1.24 1.32 

Black or African American 1.28 1.33 0.79 1.31 

Hispanic or Latino 1.20 1.47 0.86 1.13 

More than one race 2.08 2.43 2.04 1.56 

White 0.55 0.73 0.61 0.43 

 

Native language2

 

English 0.48 0.60 0.49 0.41 

Non-English 1.07 1.35 0.95 1.17 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.54 0.72 0.57 0.47 

Mother or father and guardian 1.21 1.46 0.97 1.00 

Single parent (mother or father) 1.01 1.19 0.80 0.86 

Other3

 2.19 2.76 1.88 2.11 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 0.85 1.00 0.67 0.81 

Some college 0.74 0.97 0.76 0.67 

College graduation 0.89 1.04 0.89 0.73 

Graduate/professional degree 1.00 1.32 1.12 0.75 

 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 0.95 1.02 0.68 0.92 

Middle two quarters 0.65 0.78 0.59 0.54 

Highest quarter 0.81 1.01 0.94 0.62 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

90 

Table B-6. Standard errors for table 6 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to family and friends were “very important” to them, by 

selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Finding right 

person to 

marry and 

having happy 

family life Having children 

Being able to 

give my 

children better 

opportunities 

than I've had 

Having strong 

friendships 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 2.15 2.47 1.82 2.21 

Algebra 1 1.64 2.19 1.52 1.67 

Geometry 1.14 1.49 1.00 1.05 

Algebra 2 0.81 1.01 0.71 0.83 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus 0.61 0.80 0.69 0.51 

 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 2.11 2.34 1.90 2.00 

Some college 1.09 1.25 0.90 1.04 

College graduation 0.72 0.94 0.79 0.64 

Graduate/professional degree 0.65 0.84 0.72 0.59 

Don't know 1.63 1.70 1.37 1.43 

 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 3.55 3.87 3.59 3.67 

Don't know if will continue 2.00 2.22 1.79 1.59 

Four-year institution 0.53 0.69 0.60 0.50 

Two-year community college 0.98 1.10 0.82 0.84 

Vocational, technical, or trade school 1.89 1.90 1.42 1.48 

 

Mathematics achievement test 

Lowest quarter 0.91 1.12 0.65 0.87 

Middle two quarters 0.65 0.74 0.56 0.53 

Highest quarter 0.74 1.10 0.98 0.62 

 

School sector 

Public 0.51 0.63 0.50 0.45 

Catholic 0.90 1.27 1.30 0.78 

Other private 0.81 1.95 2.06 1.07 

Transfer4

 1.59 1.70 1.07 1.39 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

91 

Table B-6. Standard errors for table 6 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to family and friends were “very important” to them, by 

selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Finding right 

person to 

marry and 

having happy 

family life Having children 

Being able to 

give my 

children better 

opportunities 

than I've had 

Having strong 

friendships 

School urbanicity 

Urban 0.92 1.14 0.93 0.84 

Suburban 0.68 0.83 0.68 0.59 

Rural 0.96 1.17 0.89 0.79 

Transfer4 1.59 1.70 1.07 1.39 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

92 

Table B-7. Standard errors for table 7 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to community and society were “very important” to 

them, by selected student characteristics): 2004 

Characteristic 

Being 

patriotic 

Being an 

active and 

informed 

citizen 

Helping 

other people 

in my 

community 

Working to 

correct social 

and economic 

inequalities 

 Total 0.60 0.56 0.57 0.46 

 

Sex 

Male 0.83 0.78 0.77 0.60 

Female 0.74 0.76 0.74 0.67 

Age 

17 or younger 0.82 0.83 0.86 0.68 

18 0.77 0.73 0.75 0.58 

19 or older 2.39 2.38 2.25 2.23 

 

Race/ethnicity1

 

American Indian or Alaska Native 4.57 6.21 5.66 3.09 

Asian or Pacific Islander 1.58 1.63 1.73 1.63 

Black or African American 1.29 1.46 1.58 1.30 

Hispanic or Latino 1.27 1.49 1.39 1.28 

More than one race 2.45 2.57 2.68 2.32 

White 0.77 0.68 0.69 0.53 

 

Native language2

 

English 0.64 0.59 0.61 0.48 

Non-English 1.39 1.40 1.39 1.19 

 

Family composition 

Mother and father 0.73 0.72 0.70 0.56 

Mother or father and guardian 1.39 1.35 1.29 1.05 

Single parent (mother or father) 1.19 1.13 1.19 0.91 

Other3

 2.49 2.62 2.62 2.28 

 

Parents' education 

High school or less 1.07 1.14 1.13 0.88 

Some college 0.96 0.88 0.94 0.74 

College graduation 1.07 1.20 1.17 0.86 

Graduate/professional degree 1.29 1.22 1.21 1.07 

 

Socioeconomic status 

Lowest quarter 1.04 1.17 1.18 0.99 

Middle two quarters 0.79 0.75 0.84 0.61 

Highest quarter 1.04 1.14 0.97 0.81 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

93 

Table B-7. Standard errors for table 7 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to community and society were “very important” to 

them, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Being 

patriotic 

Being an 

active and 

informed 

citizen 

Helping 

other people 

in my 

community 

Working to 

correct social 

and economic 

inequalities 

Highest mathematics coursework 

Pre-algebra or lower 2.26 2.70 2.53 2.19 

Algebra 1 2.14 2.20 2.42 1.85 

Geometry 1.56 1.61 1.52 1.43 

Algebra 2 0.92 1.02 1.04 0.75 

Trigonometry, pre-calculus, or calculus 0.80 0.80 0.74 0.64 

 

Student's educational expectations 

High school or less 2.31 2.21 2.27 2.04 

Some college 1.18 1.27 1.25 0.95 

College graduation 0.98 1.00 0.91 0.68 

Graduate/professional degree 0.91 0.92 0.90 0.80 

Don't know 1.85 1.85 1.77 1.50 

 

Postsecondary education plans 

Don't plan to continue 3.74 3.68 3.50 2.56 

Don't know if will continue 2.07 2.14 1.93 1.41 

Four-year institution 0.73 0.71 0.71 0.59 

Two-year community college 1.08 1.16 1.12 0.90 

Vocational, technical, or trade school 1.70 1.87 1.81 1.46 

 

Mathematics achievement test 

Lowest quarter 1.10 1.14 1.10 0.95 

Middle two quarters 0.81 0.75 0.78 0.60 

Highest quarter 1.05 1.04 1.01 0.79 

 

School sector 

Public 0.66 0.63 0.65 0.50 

Catholic 1.24 1.55 1.59 1.07 

Other private 2.55 2.33 2.66 1.36 

Transfer4

 1.90 1.70 1.71 1.65 

See notes at end of table. 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

94 

Table B-7. Standard errors for table 7 estimates (percentage of high school seniors who reported 

that various life values related to community and society were “very important” to 

them, by selected student characteristics): 2004—Continued 

Characteristic 

Being 

patriotic 

Being an 

active and 

informed 

citizen 

Helping 

other people 

in my 

community 

Working to 

correct social 

and economic 

inequalities 

School urbanicity 

Urban 1.25 1.17 1.31 0.99 

Suburban 0.89 0.81 0.77 0.60 

Rural 1.03 1.20 1.26 0.94 

Transfer4

 1.90 1.70 1.71 1.65 

1 All race categories exclude Hispanic or Latino origin. 

2 The first language students learned to speak when they were children. 

3 Other includes two guardians, female guardian only, male guardian only, and guardian who lives with the student 

less than half of the time. 

4 Principals for students transferring out of their ELS 10th-grade base-year school were not surveyed in the first 

follow-up survey, limiting the school-level data available in 12th grade. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.” 
Appendix B: 

Standard Error Tables

95 

Table B-8. Standard errors for figure 2 estimates (percentage of college-bound high school 

seniors, by various features of postsecondary institutions rated “very important” to 

their choice of a college): 2004 

Characteristic Percent 

Has degree in chosen field 0.54 

Courses/curriculum 0.58 

Job placement record 0.65 

Academic reputation 0.60 

Availability of financial aid 0.69 

Graduate school placement 0.61 

Low crime 0.58 

Low expenses 0.63 

Active social life 0.56 

Away from home while attending 0.55 

Acceptance of college credit 0.54 

Geographic location 0.50 

Living at home while attending 0.61 

Easy admission 0.54 

Size 0.41 

Athletic program 0.40 

Racial/ethnic makeup 0.42 

Same as one parent attended 0.21 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Education Longitudinal Study of 

2002 (ELS:2002), “First Follow-up, 2004.”