Patterns of courses completed by high school students versus courses completed by college and postsecondary vocational/technical students were examined. Data were from the High School and Beyond Study, including the 1982 high school transcripte and 1987 postsecondary transcripts for 1980 high school sophomores. Students who graduated from high school in the spring of 1982 and enrolled in postsecondary education by 1984 were included in the sample. Mathematics, science, computer science, humanities, and vocational courses were the focus of the study. Generally, the types of courses students took in high school corresponded to the types of courses they took in postsecondary education. More specifically, the results indicate that: (1) female students had less intensive high school mathematics preparation than did male students; (2) Black and Hispanic students completed high school mathematics and science courses at relatively low rates; (3) most students in 4-year institutions who completed a substantial number of science courses also had taken a substantial number of advanced science courses while in high school; (4) most postsecondary students took substantial amounts of advanced humanities in high school; (5) while some students who completed a substantial number of postsecondary courses had intensive vocational training in high school, most did not. Twenty-four tables and 19 graphs illustrate the study. Appendices include an overview of the study methodology, technical notes, and 46 tables. (TJH)