By placing its findings within the context of total secondary public education, a followup study of high school graduates indicated the relative effectiveness of vocational, academic, and general secondary school preparation. Data were obtained from 71% of a representative sample (N=466) of 1979 Indiana high school graduates. General program graduates had both the lowest average grade point average and lowest combined scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and the Preliminary SAT; academic graduates had the highest. Academic program graduates were least likely to be married, general program graduates the most likely. General program graduates had the highest rate of unemployment, whereas vocational graduates had the lowest. Both the academic and vocational program graduates seemed satisfied with their high school education. All graduates indicated their greatest difficulties as an adult were in the areas of personal life skills and economic and career difficulties. Graduates of all three programs indicated that they would want their children to have more effective relationships with their high school teachers along with more preparation for the real world. Findings showed that the academic and vocational education systems should be refined rather than restructured or abandoned and that general education students needed to be provided with more direction for their lives. (Data tables, methodology, and the follow-up instrument are appended.) (YLB)