About B&B

The Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B) examines students' education and work experiences after they complete a bachelor's degree, with a special emphasis on the experiences of new elementary and secondary teachers. Following several cohorts of students over time, B&B looks at bachelor's degree recipients' workforce participation, income and debt repayment, and entry into and persistence through graduate school programs, among other indicators. It addresses several issues specifically related to teaching, including teacher preparation, entry into and persistence in the profession, and teacher career paths. B&B also gathers extensive information on bachelor's degree recipients' undergraduate experience, demographic backgrounds, expectations regarding graduate study and work, and participation in community service.

Survey Design and Methodology

B&B draws its cohorts from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), which collects data from large, nationally representative samples of postsecondary students and institutions to examine how students pay for postsecondary education. B&B samples are representative of graduating seniors in all majors. The first B&B cohort (about 11,000 students) was identified in NPSAS:93 and followed up with by survey in 1994, 1997, and 2003. The second B&B cohort (about 10,000 students) was identified in NPSAS:2000 and followed up in 2001. The third B&B cohort was identified in NPSAS:08. This group of approximately 19,000 sample members was followed up in 2009, 2012, and 2018. A new B&B cohort was identified in NPSAS:16 and was followed up in 2017. The four year follow up ended in early 2021 and data processing is currently being conducted.