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Digest of Education Statistics
2005 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 306. Percentage distribution of 1990 high school sophomores, by highest level of education completed through 2000 and selected student characteristics: 1990, 1992, and 2000
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                           |        |        Less|          |          |          |           |          Bachelor's or higher degree
                           |        |        than|          |          |          |           |____________________________________________
                           |        |        high|      High|          |          |           |          |          |         |Professional
                           |        |      school|    school|Some post-|  Certifi-|Associate's|          |Bachelor's| Master's|and doctor's
Student characteristic     |   Total|  completion|completion| secondary|      cate|     degree|     Total|    degree|   degree|     degrees
___________________________|________|____________|__________|__________|__________|___________|__________|__________|_________|____________
1                          |       2|           3|         4|         5|         6|          7|         8|         9|       10|         11
___________________________|________|____________|__________|__________|__________|___________|__________|__________|_________|___________
   Total ..................|100.0(†)|  8.8 (0.73)|17.8(0.73)|30.2(0.90)| 7.9(0.44)|  6.6(0.37)|28.7(0.89)|25.5(0.81)|2.8(0.23)|0.4  (0.06)
                           |________|____________|__________|__________|__________|___________|__________|__________|_________|___________
Sex                        |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Male ....................|100.0(†)|  8.5 (1.02)|19.7(1.06)|32.6(1.27)| 6.8(0.60)|  6.6(0.56)|25.8(1.16)|23.2(1.08)|2.2(0.31)|0.4  (0.09)
  Female ..................|100.0(†)|  9.1 (1.00)|15.9(0.99)|27.9(1.12)| 8.9(0.67)|  6.6(0.46)|31.5(1.12)|27.8(1.03)|3.3(0.31)|0.4  (0.09)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Race/ethnicity             |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  White, non-Hispanic .....|100.0(†)|  6.8 (0.75)|17.8(0.75)|27.6(0.85)| 7.2(0.44)|  7.2(0.46)|33.3(0.98)|29.4(0.91)|3.5(0.30)|0.5  (0.08)
  Black, non-Hispanic .....|100.0(†)| 11.1 (2.14)|17.9(2.29)|38.5(3.51)|12.0(1.91)|  4.1(0.66)|16.4(1.68)|15.4(1.64)|0.8(0.25)|0.2  (0.08)
  Hispanic ................|100.0(†)| 16.3 (3.23)|18.5(2.63)|37.8(2.93)| 8.5(1.43)|  7.3(1.12)|11.6(1.16)|10.7(1.10)|0.8(0.20)|0.1  (0.07)
  Asian/Pacific Islander ..|100.0(†)|  6.5 (3.14)| 6.2(1.33)|32.2(4.09)| 5.7(1.62)|  3.5(1.37)|46.1(4.63)|41.0(4.45)|3.6(0.91)|1.5  (0.41)
  American Indian/Alaska   |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     Native ...............|100.0(†)| 21.6 (3.81)|40.1(8.24)|23.0(7.29)| 6.4(4.00)|  3.0(0.97)| 5.9(2.35)| 5.3(2.25)| ‡   (†) | ‡     (†)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Socioeconomic status\1\    |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
   (1990)                  |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Low quartile ............|100.0(†)| 19.9 (1.97)|31.7(1.84)|25.4(1.71)|10.6(1.12)|  5.4(0.69)| 6.9(0.60)| 6.5(0.59)|0.3(0.10)| #     (†)
  Middle two quartiles ....|100.0(†)|  6.1 (0.79)|17.0(0.90)|34.4(1.16)| 8.2(0.61)|  8.5(0.60)|25.7(1.02)|23.6(1.00)|1.9(0.26)|0.2  (0.06)
  High quartile ...........|100.0(†)|  0.3 (0.10)| 5.2(0.81)|25.5(1.47)| 4.5(0.79)|  4.6(0.56)|59.8(1.58)|51.2(1.48)|7.3(0.68)|1.4  (0.23)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Test score composite\2\    |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
   (1990)                  |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Low quartile ............|100.0(†)| 19.3 (1.99)|31.8(2.00)|28.1(1.93)|11.2(1.27)|  4.9(0.76)| 4.7(0.50)| 4.5(0.50)|0.2(0.08)|0.1  (0.05)
  Middle two quartiles ....|100.0(†)|  4.9 (1.00)|17.0(0.98)|34.4(1.29)| 8.9(0.62)|  9.2(0.61)|25.5(1.08)|23.6(1.05)|1.8(0.20)|0.1  (0.03)
  High quartile ...........|100.0(†)|  0.7 (0.09)| 5.3(0.72)|23.4(1.23)| 2.7(0.59)|  4.7(0.57)|63.2(1.44)|53.9(1.43)|7.7(0.75)|1.5  (0.24)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Locus of control\3\ (1990) |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Low quartile ............|100.0(†)| 13.6 (1.91)|26.2(1.85)|29.9(1.82)| 7.6(0.93)|  6.4(0.84)|16.2(1.29)|14.9(1.26)|1.2(0.24)|0.1  (0.05)
  Middle two quartiles ....|100.0(†)|  6.8 (0.97)|15.6(0.98)|30.6(1.21)| 8.0(0.59)|  7.2(0.51)|31.8(1.16)|28.5(1.08)|2.7(0.33)|0.5  (0.10)
  High quartile ...........|100.0(†)|  2.3 (0.60)|12.4(1.24)|30.6(1.73)| 7.1(1.05)|  6.7(0.76)|40.9(1.74)|35.2(1.60)|5.0(0.62)|0.7  (0.17)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Self-concept\4\ (1990)     |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Low quartile ............|100.0(†)|  8.7 (1.08)|20.6(1.26)|31.9(1.51)| 7.1(0.62)|  6.9(0.72)|24.8(1.32)|22.2(1.26)|2.5(0.44)|0.2  (0.08)
  Middle two quartiles ....|100.0(†)|  7.9 (1.20)|18.3(1.16)|28.6(1.12)| 7.6(0.59)|  7.7(0.58)|29.9(1.19)|26.5(1.12)|2.9(0.30)|0.5  (0.10)
  High quartile ...........|100.0(†)|  5.3 (1.20)|13.3(1.39)|32.4(2.26)| 8.3(1.16)|  5.2(0.66)|35.5(1.81)|31.4(1.66)|3.4(0.54)|0.7  (0.15)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
High school completion     |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
   timing                  |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Dropout (never           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     completed) ...........|100.0(†)|100.0   (†) |  †   (†) |  †   (†) |  †   (†) |   †   (†) |  †   (†) |  †   (†) | †   (†) | †     (†)
  Early (before January    |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     1992) ................|100.0(†)|  1.3 (0.71)|38.2(5.06)|29.1(3.87)|11.9(2.68)| 12.1(4.28)| 7.3(1.78)| 6.0(1.43)| ‡   (†) | ‡     (†)
  Normal (from January 1992|        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     through August 1992) .|100.0(†)|   #    (†) |16.2(0.80)|32.7(0.99)| 7.9(0.47)|  7.4(0.41)|35.7(1.00)|31.7(0.92)|3.4(0.28)|0.5  (0.08)
  Late (after August 1992).|100.0(†)|  0.1 (0.08)|42.0(3.00)|39.2(3.14)|13.0(2.35)|  4.0(0.95)| 1.9(0.52)| 1.9(0.52)| ‡   (†) | ‡     (†)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Control of school attended |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
   in 1992                 |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Public ..................|100.0(†)|  7.9 (0.70)|19.0(0.78)|31.0(1.00)| 8.0(0.48)|  7.0(0.40)|27.2(0.91)|24.2(0.83)|2.6(0.24)|0.4  (0.07)
  Private .................|100.0(†)|  3.3 (0.99)| 3.2(0.56)|25.3(2.37)| 4.2(1.10)|  4.1(0.77)|60.0(2.69)|52.4(2.64)|6.5(0.99)|1.1  (0.28)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Postsecondary expectations |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
   in 1992                 |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  None ....................|100.0(†)| 11.7 (5.67)|52.6(5.00)|23.3(4.45)| 7.4(1.43)|  1.7(0.60)| 3.3(0.79)| 3.3(0.79)| ‡   (†) | ‡     (†)
  Some postsecondary ......|100.0(†)|  3.9 (1.14)|31.1(1.82)|34.2(1.89)|15.2(1.26)| 10.7(0.98)| 4.9(0.71)| 4.5(0.69)|0.3(0.18)| ‡     (†)
  Bachelor's degree .......|100.0(†)|  0.6 (0.33)| 6.7(0.71)|36.5(1.47)| 6.5(0.92)|  7.6(0.62)|42.1(1.48)|38.9(1.42)|3.0(0.44)|0.2  (0.08)
  Master's degree .........|100.0(†)|  0.2 (0.09)| 5.9(0.93)|26.6(1.64)| 3.0(0.51)|  6.1(1.01)|58.2(1.87)|50.8(1.86)|6.7(0.67)|0.8  (0.23)
  First-professional or    |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     Doctor's degree ......|100.0(†)|  0.9 (0.42)| 2.2(0.44)|28.2(2.51)| 4.7(0.91)|  5.6(0.96)|58.4(2.44)|48.4(2.29)|7.8(1.19)|2.2  (0.40)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Type of start in           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
   postsecondary education |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  Fall 1992 full-time      |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     4-year ...............|100.0(†)|   ‡    (†) | 0.6(0.13)|22.7(1.11)| 2.2(0.30)|  3.7(0.43)|70.7(1.20)|61.4(1.22)|8.0(0.64)|1.3  (0.19)
  Fall 1992 full-time      |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     public 2-year ........|100.0(†)|   ‡    (†) | 2.1(0.60)|41.7(2.34)|13.4(1.61)| 19.3(1.54)|23.4(1.79)|22.1(1.75)|1.2(0.36)| ‡     (†)
  Fall 1992 part-time      |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     4-year ...............|100.0(†)|   ‡    (†) |  ‡   (†) |57.1(7.33)| 3.7(1.91)|  3.3(1.70)|31.9(6.33)|29.5(6.17)|2.4(1.80)| ‡     (†)
  Fall 1992 part-time      |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     public 2-year ........|100.0(†)|  2.7 (2.04)| 2.8(2.24)|57.6(4.97)|15.1(3.78)|  9.7(2.47)|12.2(3.16)|12.0(3.15)| ‡   (†) | ‡     (†)
  Other enrollment ........|100.0(†)|  2.2 (1.36)|12.4(3.60)|35.3(4.82)|15.3(4.64)|  8.2(1.67)|26.5(4.43)|24.6(4.39)|1.6(0.62)| ‡     (†)
  Never enrolled ..........|100.0(†)| 18.0 (1.39)|35.4(1.34)|28.8(1.37)| 8.8(0.66)|  4.5(0.48)| 4.5(0.47)| 4.3(0.46)|0.1(0.06)| ‡     (†)
                           |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
Parents' educational       |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
   attainment in 1990      |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
  No high school diploma ..|100.0(†)| 25.9 (3.46)|26.7(2.51)|26.8(2.81)|11.0(1.77)|  3.7(0.64)| 5.9(0.99)| 5.5(0.97)|0.4(0.17)| ‡     (†)
  High school graduate ....|100.0(†)| 12.7 (1.75)|30.6(2.12)|26.1(1.60)| 8.3(0.83)|  9.0(1.10)|13.3(1.01)|12.1(1.01)|1.0(0.20)|0.1  (0.06)
  Vocational/some college .|100.0(†)|  4.6 (0.53)|17.3(0.94)|35.1(1.20)| 9.1(0.81)|  8.1(0.60)|25.7(1.09)|23.7(1.08)|1.9(0.24)|0.2  (0.06)
  Bachelor's degree .......|100.0(†)|  2.9 (1.35)| 7.4(1.24)|29.7(2.15)| 5.6(0.91)|  5.1(0.64)|49.4(2.10)|43.6(2.02)|5.0(0.74)|0.7  (0.22)
  Master's degree .........|100.0(†)|  0.8 (0.46)| 2.5(0.74)|23.3(2.49)| 4.6(1.18)|  3.4(0.62)|65.4(2.50)|55.3(2.46)|8.6(1.39)|1.5  (0.39)
  First-professional or    |        |            |          |          |          |           |          |          |         |
     Doctor's degree ......|100.0(†)|  0.6 (0.38)| 1.8(0.70)|18.3(4.50)| 2.0(1.20)|  4.1(2.00)|73.3(4.66)|61.1(4.47)|9.3(2.24)|2.9  (0.78)
___________________________|________|____________|__________|__________|__________|___________|__________|__________|_________|___________
#Rounds to zero
†Not applicable.
‡Reporting standards not met.
\1\Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by a composite score on parental education and occupations, and family income.
\2\Standardized quartile of composite of student assessments in mathematics and reading.
\3\Locus of control measures whether students attribute the events that happened to them, such as performing well on a test, to being under their own control (i.e., internal locus of control) or to being under the control of others or the environment (external locus of control). Higher scores (highest quartile) means greater internal control and lower scores (lowest quartile) means greater external control.
\4\Self-concept measures the degree to which students like and feel positively about themselves and perceive themselves as a person of worth. The NELS:88 variable is the general self-concept scale from Herbert Marsh's Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ)II (Marsh 1990).
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Standard errors appear in parentheses.
SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88/2000), "Fourth Follow-up, Student Survey, 2000." (This table was prepared December 2005.)


2005 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest