Changes in Educational Aspirations from Sophomore to Senior Year of a State-Wide Sample of South Carolina High School Students / Virlyn A. Boyd and John S. Lytle.

Via group administered questionnaires, the educational aspirations of a statewide sample of 1,659 male and 1,838 female South Carolina 10th grade students were examined in 1965-66 and again in 1968-69 when they were seniors. Forty-two schools were selected to represent all high schools in the state and were stratified by size (measured by the number of 10th grade students in 1965-66) and by color of students (predominantly white and black). Students were asked, "If you could have as much schooling as you desired, which of the following would you do?--quit school now; complete high school; complete a technical program after finishing high school; graduate from a junior college; graduate from a college or university; or complete additional studies after graduating from college". Responses were analyzed in terms of differences in sex, race, school size, and school guidance programs. Findings indicated: little difference between the educational aspirations of students as sophomores and as seniors; an increase in educational aspirations for males and a decrease for females; less change in the levels of educational aspiration among white than among black students; and an increase in the educational aspirations of almost 1/3 of the 183 pupils in schools without counselors as compared to an increase of less than 1/4 among the 2,428 pupils in schools with certified counselors. (JC)

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