This is the 22nd annual report of national normative data on the characteristics of students attending American colleges and universities as first-time, full-time freshmen. The normative data are reported separately for men and women, and for 35 groupings of institutions. The major stratifying factors are institutional race (predominantly black versus predominantly white), control (public, private-nonsectarian, Roman Catholic and Protestant), type (university, four-year, two-year), and the selectivity level of the institution. Following the 10 pages of data, six appendices provide extensive information on the research methodology, the 1987 student information form, the coding scheme for collapsed items, institutions participating in the freshman survey, precision of the normative data and their comparisons, and a sample report furnished to campuses participating in the survey. Twelve figures illustrate freshmen interest in selected career areas, goals, political preferences, smoking habits, and participation in federal financial aid programs. Highlights of the normative data include the following: (1) a rising interest in teaching careers; (2) declining interest in engineering and technology careers; and (3) business as the most preferred career. Eleven pages of background materials for a January 14, 1988, press briefing are included with the report. (KM)