This glossary describes the variables used in this report. The items were taken directly from the National Education Longitudinal Study: 19881994 and NPSAS:93 Data Analysis System (DAS) (see appendix B for a description of the DAS). These variables were either items taken directly from the NPSAS or NELS surveys or they were derived by combining one or more items in these surveys. Unless otherwise noted, the variable labels are those appearing in the DAS.
The NELS:88 variables and definitions are divided into six categories: individual characteristics, academic characteristics, plans and expectations for postsecondary education, postsecondary education, and financial aid issues. Variables from NPSAS:93 are listed separately.
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Individual Characteristics |
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| Race-ethnicity | F3RACE | |||
| Asian or Pacific Islander | A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or Pacific Islands. This includes people from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, Samoa, India, and Vietnam. | |||
| Hispanic, regardless of race | A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. | |||
| Black, not of Hispanic origin | A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa, except those of Hispanic origin. | |||
| White, not of Hispanic origin | A person having origins of any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East | |||
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| In 1992, parents were asked, "What was your total gross family income from all sources before taxes in 1991 (If you are not sure of the amount, please estimate)?" For purposes of this report, the original 13 income categories were collapsed into three. | ||||
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| Middle ($25,000-$74,999) | Family income was between $25,000 and $74,999. | |||
| High ($75,000 or higher) | Family income was $75,000 or higher. | |||
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| This composite characterizes the level of education attained by the parent with the highest reported education level. It was constructed using second follow-up parent questionnaire data; data from earlier survey waves were used if data were missing. For purposes of this report, levels of education were collapsed to create three categories. | ||||
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| Some college | Highest level of parental education was greater than high school and less than 4-year degree. | |||
| College graduate | Highest level of parental education was college graduate, M.A. or equivalent, or Ph.D., M.D., or other professional degree. | |||
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| F3QWT92G includes F3QWT for respondents who received a high school diploma between September 1, 1991 and August 31, 1992 or respondents whose diploma receipt date is not known but began their postsecondary education during the period of June 1992 through October 1992. It allows projections to the population of persons who received a high school diploma during those time periods and were eligible to complete questionnaires in 1992 and 1994. | ||||
Academic Characteristics |
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| This variable is the grade point average for all academic courses that were reported in the student transcripts, multiplied by 10. | ||||
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| The combined scores of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) verbal and math scores. The valid range is 400 to 1600. | ||||
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| Composite score on the ACT test. The valid range for this test score is 1 to 36. | ||||
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| The source for this variable was the composite variable consisting of math and reading NELS Second Follow-Up test scores. To create the derived variable, a ranking was created by first calculating a weighted frequency distribution of test composite variables. Next, cutoff points were determined and numbered sequentially from 1 to 99. | ||||
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| F3RANK_C is a measure of a student's class rank during the last year he or she attended high school. It draws on F2RRANK (class rank for last year attended) and F2RCSIZE (class size for last year attended) from the 1992 transcript data. It is calculated by dividing the class rank by the class size and subtracting the result from 1. | ||||
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For this study, a composite measure of 4-year college readiness or qualification index was developed that uses cumulative academic coursework GPAs, senior class rank, the NELS 1992 test scores, and the SAT and ACT college entrance examination scores. Since admission standards and requirements vary widely among 4-year colleges and universities, the approach used here was to examine the actual distribution of these five measures of academic aptitude and achievement among those graduating seniors who did attend a 4-year college or university. Data sources were available for approximately half (45 percent) of the NELS graduating seniors for four or five of the criteria: class rank, GPA, the NELS test, and ACT or SAT scores or both. For about one-third of the seniors there were only three data sources available because they had no ACT or SAT scores. All of these had NELS test scores, however. In order to identify as many students as possible who were potentially academically qualified for a 4-year college, even if data were missing for these students on some of the criteria, the seniors were classified according to the highest level they had achieved on any of the five criteria for which data were present.
The initial classification of the graduating seniors was determined as follows:
Then some adjustments were made for programs of rigorous academic coursework, defined as including at least 4 years of English; 3 years each of science, mathematics, and social studies; and 2 years of a foreign language. Those who had taken a program of rigorous academic courses were moved up into one higher level of qualification; and Those in the "very highly qualified" category were moved down into the "highly qualified" category if they had not taken the rigorous academic coursework; |
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| Minimally qualified | Student was minimally qualified to attend a four- year college. | |||
| Somewhat qualified | Student was somewhat qualified to attend a four- year college. | |||
| Highly qualified | Student was highly qualified to attend a 4-year college. | |||
| Very highly qualified | Student was very highly qualified to attend a 4-year college. | |||
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| As originally coded, this variable describes which sources of information were available in determining how qualified a student was for admission to a 4-year university or college. Five sources of information were used to determine how qualified a student was for admission to a 4-year institution: cumulative academic GPAs, senior class rank, the NELS 1992 test scores, and the SAT and ACT college entrance examination scores (see CQCOMV2). For purposes of this report, categories were collapsed into four categories to reflect the number of sources of information that were available to determine individual students' qualifications. | ||||
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| Two | Two sources of information were available. | |||
| Three | Three sources of information were available. | |||
| Four-five | Four or five sources of information were available. | |||
Plans and Expectations for Postsecondary Education (PSE) |
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| Yes | Student planned to attend PSE immediately after high school. | |||
| No | Student did not plan to attend PSE right after high school. | |||
| Don't know | Student did not know if he or she was going on to attend PSE right after high school. | |||
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Planned ever to attend PSE
In 1992 students who planned to continue their education at some point after high school were asked what type of school they were most likely to attend. |
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| 2-year college or trade school | Student planned to attend either a 2-year academic or technical college, or a trade school | |||
| No postsecondary education | Student did not plan to continue his or her education. | |||
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| The question was "As things stand now, how far in school do you think you will get?" The categories for the preceding two variables were: | ||||
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| Trade/vocational | Student expected to complete trade or vocational school. | |||
| Some college | Student expected to complete some college. | |||
| Finish college | Student expected to attain a bachelor's degree. | |||
| Graduate degree | Student expected to attain a graduate degree. | |||
| Do not know | Student was unsure of expectations. | |||
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| Some PSE | Student expected to complete trade or vocational school or some college. | |||
| Finish college | Student expected to attain at least a bachelor's degree. | |||
Postsecondary Education |
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| Private, not-for-profit less-than-4-year | A private, not-for-profit institution offering a less- than-4-year degree and controlled by an independent governing board and incorporated under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. | |||
| Public less-than-2-year | A public less-than-2-year (vocational-technical) postsecondary institution is supported primarily by public funds and operated by publicly elected or appointed officials who control the school's program and activities. | |||
| Public 2-year | A public institution offering a two- or three-year degree (i.e., associate's degree). | |||
| Public 4-year | A public college or university offering a bachelor's degree or higher. | |||
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For purposes of this report, the categories above were collapsed into three categories for most of the tables. |
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| Public 2-year | Public 2-year institution. | |||
| Any 4-year | Private, not-for-profit 4-year or public 4-year institution. | |||
| Table 29 of the report collapsed two categories even further: | ||||
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This variable describes the postsecondary enrollment status of all respondents in October of 1992.
For purposes of this report, categories were collapsed into two in order to indicate enrollment status. |
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| No | Respondent was not enrolled in a postsecondary institution in October of 1992. | |||
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| This derived variable describes whether or not a respondent ever applied to a 4-year institution. It is based primarily on student-reported data. However, if respondents reported enrollment in a 4-year institution, they were also considered to have applied. | ||||
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| No | Respondent did not apply to a 4-year postsecondary institution. | |||
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| This derived variable describes whether or not a respondent ever applied to a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution. It is based primarily on student-reported data. However, if respondents reported enrollment in a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution, they were also considered to have applied. | ||||
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| No | Respondent did not apply to a private, not-for- profit 4-year postsecondary institution. | |||
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| This derived variable describes whether or not a respondent ever applied to a public 4-year institution. It is based primarily on student-reported data. However, if respondents reported enrollment in a public 4-year institution, they were also considered to have applied. | ||||
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| No | Respondent did not apply to a public 4-year postsecondary institution. | |||
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| This variable describes whether or not the respondent was ever accepted for admission to a 4-year postsecondary institution. Respondents were asked various questions about admission and acceptance to up to two postsecondary institutions. If at least one of the institutions to which a respondent had been accepted was a 4-year institution, then the respondent was considered to have been accepted to a 4-year institution. If the respondent did not report being admitted to a 4-year institution but the first institution attended was a 4-year institution, then the respondent was considered to have been accepted to a 4-year institution. | ||||
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| No | Student was not accepted for admission to any 4-year institution. | |||
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| This variable describes whether or not the respondent was ever accepted for admission to a private, not-for-profit 4-year postsecondary institution. Respondents were asked various questions about admission and acceptance to up to two postsecondary institutions. If at least one of the institutions to which a respondent had been accepted was a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution, then the respondent was considered to have been accepted to a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution. If the respondent did not report being admitted to a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution yet the first institution attended was a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution, then the respondent was considered to have been accepted to a private, not-for-profit 4-year institution. | ||||
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| No | Student was not accepted for admission to any private, not-for-profit 4-year institution. | |||
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| This variable describes whether or not the respondent was ever accepted for admission to a public 4-year postsecondary institution. Respondents were asked various questions about admission and acceptance to up to two postsecondary institutions. If at least one of the institutions to which a respondent had been accepted was a public 4-year institution, then the respondent was considered to have been accepted to a public 4-year institution. If the respondent did not report being admitted to a public 4-year institution but the first institution attended was a public 4-year institution, then the respondent was considered to have been accepted to a public 4-year institution. | ||||
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| No | Student was not accepted for admission to any public 4-year institution. | |||
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| The purpose of this derived variable is to describe whether students ever took a college entrance examination (either the SAT or ACT) and applied for admission to a 4-year institution. It is primarily based on student-reported data. However, if a students reported attending a 4-year institution, they were considered to have applied to a 4-year institution. | ||||
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| Did not take exam, did apply | Student did not take an exam but did apply to a 4-year institution. | |||
| Did neither | Student did not take an exam and did not apply to a 4-year institution. | |||
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Financial Aid Issues |
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| Students | ||||
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| Respondents were asked whether they had received these types of financial aid while at the first institution they attended. | ||||
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| 1994 students were asked if they had received various types of financial aid while attending their first institution. "None" was an option. Students were considered to have received financial aid if they answered "no" to the option of "None received." | ||||
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| This variable describes the total amount of financial aid students reported receiving yearly during their most recent period of enrollment at first institution they attended. | ||||
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| In 1992, students were asked if they had ever read any information from the Department of Education or a postsecondary institution in order to learn more about financial aid (F2S58D and F2S58E). This variable combines the students' answers to these two questions. | ||||
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| Students were asked what they had done to learn more about applying for financial aid (F2S58A-C and F2S58G). Students were asked if they had spoken with the following people: a counselor or a teacher, a representative from a postsecondary institution, a loan officer from a bank, or another knowledgeable adult. This variable counts the number of positive responses. | ||||
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| In 1992, students were asked to rate the importance of low expenses and financial aid in choosing a college to attend as "very," "somewhat," or "not" important. (F2S59A and F2S59B). This variable combines students' answers on both to measure general concern about affordability in choosing a college to attend. Response category "very concerned" describes those who either: (1) rated both characteristics as "very important," or (2) rated at least one as "very important" and the other as "somewhat important." | ||||
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| For the preceding four variables, students were asked if they had done any of the above to learn about applying for financial aid for further education. Response categories were "yes" and "no." | ||||
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| Parents | ||||
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| In 1992, parents were asked if they had ever read any information from the Department of Education or a postsecondary institution in order to learn more about financial aid (F2P84E and F2P84F). This variable combines the parents' answers to these two questions. | ||||
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| Parents were asked what they had done to learn more about applying for financial aid for their children's education after high school (F2P84A-C and F2P84G). Parents were asked if they had spoken with the following people: a counselor or a teacher, a representative from a postsecondary institution, a loan officer from a bank, or another person. This variable counts the number of positive responses. | ||||
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| In 1992, parents were asked to rate how important low expenses (F2P66A) and the availability of financial aid (F2P66B) were to them as their children chose colleges to attend. This variable combines parents' answers on both to reflect general concern about affordability in choosing a college to attend. | ||||
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| For the preceding four variables, parents were asked if they or their spouses/partners had done any of the above to learn about applying for financial aid for further education for their teenagers. Response categories were "yes" and "no." | ||||
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NPSAS:93 VARIABLES |
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| Institution level concerns the institution's highest offering (length of program and type of certificate, degree, or award), and control concerns the source of revenue and control of operations. Definitions are the same as those for F3SEC2A1 in NELS:88. | ||||
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| The amount of financial aid received by a student in 1992-93 from any source (federal, state, institution, other). Includes grants, loans, and work-study, as well as loans under the PLUS program. Students receiving aid were identified by the TOTAID variable having a positive value. | ||||
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| Total amount of grant or scholarship aid received by a student in 1992-93 from any source (federal, state, institution, other). Grants are a type of student financial aid that does not require repayment or employment. They are usually (but not always) awarded on the basis of need. When grants are awarded on the basis of some skills or characteristics the student possesses, they are often called scholarships. The percentage of students with grants is the percentage with positive amounts recorded for this variable. | ||||
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| Total amount of loan aid received by a student in 1992-93. This includes all loans through federal, state, or institutional programs except PLUS loans (which are made to parents). Loans are a type of student financial aid that advances funds and that are evidenced by a promissory note requiring the recipient to repay the specified amounts under prescribed conditions. The percentage of students with loans is the percentage with positive amounts recorded by this variable. | ||||
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| Total amount of work-study aid received by students in 1992-93. Work-study programs provide partial reimbursement of wages paid to students. They may be sponsored by the federal or state governments or by the institution. The percentage of students with work study is the percentage with positive amounts recorded for this variable. | ||||
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| The tuition and fees for 1992-93 charged by the institution minus grants and scholarships. Negative values are set to zero. | ||||
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| The cost of attendance minus all financial aid. Equal to the attendance adjusted total student budget (BUDGETAJ), minus the total amount of financial aid (TOTAID). | ||||
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| Actual amount of tuition and fees charged the student for the terms attended, as reported by the institution. | ||||
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| Student-reported amount of direct monetary contribution from both parents for academic year 1992-93 school expenses, not including loans or in-kind support. | ||||
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| Equal to the sum of tuition actually charged and total non-tuition budget components, adjusted for attendance status (full-time or part-time) and number of months enrolled. | ||||
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| The average number of hours worked per week while enrolled (including work study). If a student reported being employed during the month, the average number of hours worked per week was derived based on the starting and ending dates and the hours reported for each job during the survey interview. Note that this variable only represents the average hours a student worked while working and enrolled. Thus, if a student worked an average of 20 hours per week while enrolled for 6 months and then did not work for the remaining 3 months of enrollment, the average hours would still be 20 hours per week. The percentage of students working while enrolled is the percentage with positive amounts recorded for this variable. | ||||
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| Student's residence in school-owned housing, off-campus, or with parents. | ||||
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