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A study investigated the postsecondary intentions and the actual outcomes of secondary transition among 321 students from five schools in New Zealand. Phase 1 identified students who did not intend to return to secondary school. The next year (2000), they became the target population for Phase 2, which examined the students' actual continuation on to tertiary study, tertiary qualifications, tertiary institution attended, employment patterns, intended career or job title, and sources of information they used or desired in the transition process. By 2000, approximately two-thirds had a firmer idea of their career direction. The most common pattern of intentions and actual activities was for students to leave school after year 13 with an A or B Bursary and study for a degree at a university while working part time or casually. European students were more likely than Maori and Pacific students to be more sure of their career plans, more likely to be studying at universities and polytechnics, and more likely to be making a smoother postsecondary transition. Students from low-decile schools were less likely than those from high-decile schools to participate in tertiary study. They also tended to have more vocational focus. The "most useful" sources of information were "employment-, school-, or tertiary-based." Researchers concluded that New Zealand students could benefit from individual career planning counseling. (The survey and survey results in tables and graphs are appended. Contains 33 references.) (KC)