ENTRY AND TERMINATION OF POSTSECONDARY VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL EDUCATION BY THE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1972.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to describe the ways individuals entered and terminated postsecondary vocational-technical education (PSVE). Then, the study determined to what extent entry and termination were predicted by individual characteristics, family characteristics, educational aspirations, the education level and aspirations of parents, high school curriculum, academic ability, early employment experiences and enrollment characteristics.;The research design for the study was descriptive. A documentary analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS-72) was employed. Longitudinal data collected from 1972 through 1979 on 22,652 individuals who were high school seniors in 1972 were the data source for this study.;One-fifth of NLS-72 respondents who completed high school later entered PSVE. An equal proportion of 4,627 NLS-72 completers entered PSVE immediately and delayed entry. NLS-72 completers who entered PSVE typically were white, middle SES females who aspired to attend vocational-technical schools or beyond, had studied a general high school curriculum and had middle-level class rank percentiles. Groups of NLS-72 completers who entered PSVE were compared to NLS-72 respondents who never entered postsecondary education. A regression analysis revealed that statistically significant predictors of immediate entry into PSVE were sex, SES, academic ability, educational aspirations, and the education level and aspirations of parents. A regression analysis indicated that the group of NLS-72 completers who delayed entry into PSVE were not different from NLS-72 completers on individual characteristics and educational aspirations, however the education level and aspirations of parents were predictors of delayed entry into PSVE.;Over 80 percent of NLS-72 completers who entered PSVE were enrolled only one year. Of the 3870 NLS-72 completers who terminated PSVE 1972 through 1979, two-thirds left PSVE without obtaining a degree, license or certificate. Approximately 23 percent of NLS-72 completers obtained a license or certificate, and another 9 percent obtained an associate or vocational degree. A regression analysis indicated that statistically significant predictors of completion of PSVE with a degree, license or certificate were immediate entry, enrollment duration, hours enrolled per week in class and hours employed per week.