An Analysis of Student Characteristics Associated with Enrollment in Higher Education. AIR 1991 Annual Forum Paper.

This paper presents the results of a survey titled "Postsecondary Plans of Nevada High School Seniors" that is administered biennially to provide educational planners with information about Nevada high school seniors' postsecondary plans. The survey consists of 43 questions and provides information in six areas: demographic characteristics of seniors; their high school experiences including work experiences; their plans for the year following graduation; their postsecondary education plans; factors important in their choice of a postsecondary institution; and their impressions of the University of Nevada System campuses. Using data from the 1990 survey (4,700 usable responses), qualitative response models (logit specification) were developed to assess the influence of various economic and demographic variables on students' decisions to attend college, enroll in vocational programs, or pursue no postsecondary education. Among the results were the following: (1) the majority of the students in both urban (66.8%) and rural (64%) areas planned to attend college; (2) family income, mother's educational level, sex, and high school grade point average (GPA) all exhibited positive impacts on both rural and urban students' intentions to enroll in college; and (3) the likelihood of college attendance increased as high school GPA increased. Several implications of the study's findings are discussed. Contains 12 references. (GLR)