The study investigated, for both poor and minority students, how demographic characteristics, college aspirations, and high school courses affected college attendance and college completion. The issue of minority college attendance and completion is explored, and previous studies and available data are reviewed. The High School and Beyond database…

A study was conducted at a women's college to compare contrasting ideas of general education curriculum requirements: the prescribed core curriculum in which all students take the same courses versus the distributive model in which students are required to choose a minimum number of courses within specified academic areas. Graduating seniors were…

The current debate on educational choice concerns whether locally centralized school systems of the kind that predominate in the public school sector are responsive to and can accommodate the diversity of educational consumers' preferences. Section I analyzes policy options and illustrates how policymakers, by examining a range of solutions to the…

To address the lack of academic and social preparation that many rural Alaskans have when they first arrive at college, in 1985 Sheldon Jackson College (Sitka, Alaska) initiated the Early College Incentive Program (ECIP) to expose junior high students to college learning and living requirements, reduce cultural shock (Sheldon Jackson's student…

The purpose of this exercise was to determine whether any of the available demographic or academic variables show distinct trends in three specific discipline areas that differ from those of other areas: (1) Engineering, (2) Computer Sciences, and (3) Biological Sciences. Using data from 39,087 SUS graduates in 2002-03 and of 324,164 science…

A vocational-technical center in Delaware, launched a massive restructuring effort in 1988. Educators used frameworks provided by the National Center for Research in Vocational Education and Southern Regional Educational Board and visited High Schools That Work sites. In 1991, Sussex Technical High School opened its doors as a newly designed…

Analyses completed prior to November 2001 provided a context for examining vocational education (VE) and a description of participation at secondary and postsecondary levels, a logical first step in evaluating VE's status and effectiveness. They were a small, but significant part of a comprehensive research agenda being conducted under the…

A study examined patterns of course enrollments in year 12 and consequences of student course enrollments on education, training, and work experiences to age 19 using data collected between 1990-97 by the Australian Youth Survey. Findings indicated course-taking patterns in year 12 varied substantially according to gender, early school…

A literature review of 132 studies of School-to-Work programs and consultations with the staff of the National School-to-Work Office, researchers, and practitioners in the field drew conclusions about the effectiveness of the School-to-Work initiative. Some of the study's conclusions were the following: (1) School-to-Work students maintain good…

Patterns and trends in the vocational-technical course taking of public high school graduates between 1982 and 1998 were examined in a study of high school transcripts for the graduating classes of 1982, 1990, 1992, 1994, and 1998. The source data came from the following five studies: (1) High School and Beyond Sophomore Cohort, First Follow-up…

Persistent gaps between the academic achievements of different groups of children are thoroughly documented by the U.S. National Assessment of Educational Progress and other statistical analyses of state assessments, grades, course selection, and dropout rates. Despite improvements in some years, the gap endures as a consistent and disturbing…

Examines relationships between student interests and aptitude in selected academic fields and their success in intensive courses on these subjects. Discusses a two-year study of 33 mathematics students and 32 literature students in the eighth and ninth grades in the Soviet Union. Shows that differentiated, intensive study did not strengthen…

Gender differences in participation and performance at "high stakes" examinations have received much public attention, which has often focused on mathematics and science subjects. This paper describes the innovative forms of assessment introduced into mathematics and science subjects within the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)…

This article reports on a study that is concerned with surveying the aspirations of some students in an Australian Technical and Further Education (TAFE) College and developing strategies to address issues arising from the surveys. The study is essentially a series of surveys, thought it has an action learning aspect because of its developmental…

This article investigates the benefits of girls-only classroom instruction in math and science during Grades 9 and 10, in the context of a public coeducational high school. It is based on a longitudinal investigation with 786 participants: 85 girls in all-girl classes, and 319 girls and 382 boys in a regular coeducational program. Preexisting…