Chapter 5: College Knowledge

Indicator 29: Informational Resources

In 2004, the percentage of high school seniors with postsecondary aspirations who consulted college websites, publications, or search guides for information on college entrance requirements was higher for females than males (80 vs. 68 percent).

In 2004, some 93 percent of high school seniors had postsecondary aspirations. Of these, 85 percent consulted a school counselor, teacher, or coach for information on college entrance requirements. Other informational resources that seniors consulted included parents, siblings, or relatives (70 percent), friends (52 percent), college websites, publications, or search guides (74 percent), college representatives (59 percent), and school libraries, public libraries, or college libraries (20 percent). Three percent of seniors with plans to continue their education did not consult any of these resources for information on college entrance requirements.

Overall, among high school seniors with postsecondary aspirations, a higher percentage of females than males went to a high school counselor, teacher, or coach for information on college entrance requirements (86 vs. 83 percent). Across racial/ethnic groups, a higher percentage of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander seniors reported going to high school staff for college entrance information than did Whites, Hispanics, and those of two or more races (94 percent vs. 85, 84, and 83 percent, respectively).

Among high school seniors with postsecondary aspirations, a higher percentage of females than males consulted college websites, publications, or search guides for information on college entrance requirements (80 vs. 68 percent). This pattern held for Whites (82 vs. 70 percent), Blacks (80 vs. 64 percent), Hispanics (68 vs. 55 percent), Asians (84 vs. 75 percent), and those of two or more races (85 vs. 70 percent).

An examination of overall racial/ethnic group differences for college websites, publications, or search guides shows that a lower percentage of Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders consulted these resources than any other racial/ ethnic group, with the exception of Hispanic students. Additionally, higher percentages of Whites (76 percent), Blacks (73 percent), Asians (79 percent), and those of two or more races (78 percent) consulted these resources than did Hispanics (63 percent).

In 2004, a higher percentage of females than males consulted college representatives for information about college entrance requirements (62 vs. 55 percent). This pattern was also found for White and Hispanic males and females. Overall, a lower percentage of Hispanic students went to college representatives for information on college entrance requirements than did White, Black, and Asian students (53 percent vs. 59, 62, and 63 percent, respectively).

Top

---

Figure 29-1 Among high school seniors who planned to continue their education after high school, percentage who used informational resources on college entrance requirements, by selected types of informational resources, race/ethnicity, and sex: 2004

Table E-29-1 Percentage of high school seniors who planned to continue their education after high school and, among seniors who planned to continue, the percentage who used informational resources on college entrance requirements, by type of informational resource, sex, and race/ethnicity: 2004