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National data from Monitoring the Future were used to examine patterns and predictors of college attendance. Samples of American 12th-grade students from 1977 to 2003 were followed for 7 years (modal ages 18-25; N = 10,020). College attendance and graduation patterns varied considerably over historical time and based on family background. Substance use during high school predicted a greater likelihood of never attending (for cigarettes, illegal drugs), of graduating from a 2-year rather than a 4-year school (for cigarettes), and of dropping out versus graduating from a 4-year school (for cigarettes, marijuana, and other illegal drugs). High school binge drinking predicted lower college dropout, but only in models also controlling for cigarette, marijuana, and other illicit drug use. This study provides a needed overview of adolescent predictors of patterns of college attendance among American young adults over the past three decades.

This study examines the relationship between student substance use and school-level parental involvement as reported by administrators. Questionnaires were administered to school administrators and 111,652 students in 1,011 U.S. schools. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses conducted on 1998-2003 data from students and administrators indicate significantly lower prevalence of alcohol use among eighth-graders in schools where administrators reported high parental involvement. Overall, administrators' reports of high parental involvement were unrelated to prevalence of substance use among tenth-graders and were associated with higher prevalence of alcohol use among twelfth-graders. Implications and limitations are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.

High school students who spend long hours in paid employment during the school year are at increased risk of lower grades and higher substance use, although questions remain about whether these linkages reflect causation or prior differences (selection effects). Questions also remain about whether such associations vary by socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity. This study examines those questions using nationally representative data from two decades (1991-2010) of annual Monitoring the Future surveys involving about 600,000 students in 10th and 12th grades. White students are consistently more likely than minority students to hold paid employment during the school year. Among White and Asian American students, paid work intensity is negatively related to parental education and grade point averages (GPA) and is positively related to substance use. Also among Whites and Asian Americans, students with the most highly educated parents show the strongest negative relations between work intensity and GPA, whereas the links are weaker for those with less educated parents (i.e., lower SES levels). All of these relations are less evident for Hispanic students and still less evident for African American students. It thus appears that any costs possibly attributable to long hours of student work are most severe for those who are most advantaged--White or Asian American students with highly educated parents. Working long hours is linked with fewer disadvantages among Hispanic students and especially among African American students. Youth employment dropped in 2008-2010, but the relations described above have shown little change over two decades.

Background: This study explores sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) availability in US secondary school competitive venues during the first 3 years following the school wellness policy requirement (2007-2009). Furthermore, analyses examine associations with school policy and SSB availability. Methods: Analyses use questionnaire data from 757 middle and 762 high schools in the nationally representative Youth, Education, and Society study to examine soda and non-soda SSB availability associations with school policy including: (1) beverage bottling contracts and related incentives; (2) individuals/organizations responsible for decisions regarding beverages available in vending machines; and (3) school wellness policies and nutrition guidelines. Results: Non-soda SSBs made up the majority of SSBs in both middle and high schools. Soda was especially likely to be found in vending machines; non-soda FSSBs were widely available across competitive venues. Access to soda decreased significantly over time; however, non-soda SSB access did not show a similar decrease. School policy allowing beverage supplier contractual involvement (bottling contract incentives and beverage supplier "say" in vending machine beverage choices) was related to increased FSSB access. However, the existence of developed nutritional guidelines was associated with lower SSB availability. Conclusions: Students had high access to SSBs across competitive school venues, with non-soda SSBs making up the majority of SSB beverage options. Efforts to reduce access to SSBs in US secondary schools should include a focus on reducing both soda and non-soda SSBs, reducing beverage supplier involvement in school beverage choices, and encouraging the development of targeted nutritional guidelines for all competitive venues. (Contains 4 tables.)

Long hours of paid employment during high school have been linked to a variety of problem behaviors, but questions remain about whether and to what extent work intensity makes any causal contribution. This study addresses those questions by focusing on how 12th-grade work intensity is associated with substance use and educational attainment in the years following high school. It uses 2 nationally representative longitudinal data sets from the Monitoring the Future project, spanning a total of 3 decades. One data set tracks 8th graders for 8 years (modal ages 14-22) and provides extensive controls for possible prior causes; the second, larger data set tracks 12th graders for up to 12 years (to modal ages 29-30) and permits assessment of possible short-term and longer term consequences. Findings based on propensity score matching and multivariate regression analyses are highly consistent across the 2 sets of data. All findings show that more fundamental prior problems, including low academic performance and aspirations, make substantial contributions to substance use and long-term academic attainment (selection effects), but the findings also suggest that high work intensity during high school has long-term costs in terms of college completion and perhaps cigarette use. (Contains 1 figure, 6 tables, and 12 footnotes.)

This article examines various aspects of school physical characteristics relating to problem behavior among students. We hypothesize that an attractive physical environment will be associated with less truancy, cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use, whereas a negative physical environment will be associated with higher levels of these behaviors. Analyses use data from nationally representative samples of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students who participated in annual surveys conducted by the Monitoring the Future project from 2000 to 2003. Analyses also use data collected from principals and field interviewers of the same schools. Results based on multilevel logistic and linear regressions indicate that students are sensitive to schools' ambience and that the association of various aspects of the school's physical environment with students' problem behaviors is greater for 10th-grade students than for 8th and 12th-grade students. The implications of these findings for school policies and practices are discussed. (Contains 6 tables.)

This study focuses on (a) American 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students' access to, and use of substance abuse counseling services via schools and (b) associations between such access and student substance use prevalence. From 1999 through 2003, student data were obtained from the Monitoring the Future study; and school data were obtained through the Youth, Education, and Society study, resulting in nationally representative data from 113,008 students in 855 public and private schools. Results indicate that in contrast to relatively stable student heavy--drug use prevalence rates, internal counseling availability and participation decreased significantly over time, as did reported student referral to external counseling. Availability of internal counseling, as well as student participation in both internal and external referrals, differed significantly by school characteristics--level grade size, sector, population density, school socioeconomic status, majority student body race/ethnicity, and geographical region. Student use of counseling services did not show any relationships with school-level heavy drinking rates; however, student participation in external counseling referrals was positively associated with school-level prevalence rates for the use of illicit drugs other than marijuana and showed indications of a similar relationship with marijuana prevalence rates. The decreasing access to, and use of counseling, the lower probability of counseling availability in middle schools, and the lack of association between heavy-alcohol use rates and counseling services, all suggest missed opportunities and a greater need for counseling services to reduce high-risk drug use.

The belief that schools can play a powerful role in preventing tobacco use among adolescents has led to the implementation of various tobacco-related polices and practices. This study examines the association between school policies regarding monitoring student behavior, severity of action taken for infraction of policies, and tobacco use by staff, and student smoking behavior and attitudes. Data on students' smoking behavior and attitudes were obtained from the 1999 and 2000 Monitoring the Future surveys of nationally representative samples of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students. Data on school policies and practices were obtained from administrators in those same schools. Hierarchical analyses using HLM5 were conducted. Strictness of monitoring was significantly negatively associated with daily cigarette use by middle school students. Permitting staff to smoke was significantly positively associated with students' daily cigarette use and negatively with their disapproval of cigarette use. Policy implications are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)

The purposes of this article are (a) to describe drug search policies in nationally representative samples of schools from 1998 to 2001 and (b) to examine the association between drug searches by schools and reported drug use by students. Most schools (86%) reported searching students for cause or suspicion, while 40% of schools reported randomly searching students. The use of drug searches differed according to school characteristics. For-cause drug searches were positively associated with 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students' 12-month illicit drug use, while random drug searches were associated (positively) only with 10th-grade students' 12-month drug use.

Study reports trends among high school seniors in number of tickets or warnings received, number of vehicle accidents, and number of these events occurring after use of alcohol, marijuana, or other illegal drugs. Despite decline in the number of accidents and tickets received after drinking or drug use, aggressive policies are still needed to deter youths from such risky behaviors. (Contains 20 references, 3 figures, and 2 tables.)

Paper examines ethnic differences in licit and illicit drug use among American 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, with a particular focus on girls. Across ethnic groups, drug use is highest among Native American girls and lowest among black and Asian American girls. Trend data suggest that girls' and boys' drug use patterns are converging. (Contains 22 references, 4 tables, and 1 figure.)

Presents information on the extent of alcohol use and other drug use among college students. Alcohol rates are very high among college students, with use higher among males than females. White students are highest in heavy drinking, black students are lowest and Hispanics are intermediate. Results indicate colleges should do more to reduce heavy alcohol use among students. (Author)

Study examines differences in adolescents' use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs by racial and ethnic groups. Results show significant differences by racial and ethnic groups, and indicate that these differences have changed over time. Future research should examine these differences and seek to identify the sources and consequences of the disparities. (Contains 19 references, 4 tables, and 1 figure.)

Uses data from a nationally representative longitudinal sample to examine the relationship of marijuana use by high school seniors to occupational attainment ten years later. Analyses were conducted separately by gender, with and without controlling for other variables. Results indicate that the influence of marijuana use on occupational attainment is considerably different for males and females. (Author)

Study examines trends and relationships involving high school seniors' military service plans, college plans, and actual entry into military service. Findings from this study suggest that educational incentives for military service are now particularly important, given the high proportions of potential recruits with college aspirations. (Author)