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NLSY79

School & Transcript Surveys

Important information: Using school and transcript data

Although the survey of schools and the transcript data collections were conducted as a single fielding effort, the eligible universes were slightly different (NORC 1980). Transcript data are not available for the following NLSY79 respondents:

  • those considered out-of-scope either because they were members of the military sample (1280), because they were under age 17 (724) or because they were enrolled in foreign schools (175)
  • those for whom release forms were not available (378)
  • 1,341 respondents for whom data are not available for some other reason

Separately administered surveys collected information from the high schools attended by respondents in the NLSY79 cohort. This included special transcript data collections that gathered, from the high school records of respondents, detailed information on courses taken, grades, and credit received.

NLSY79 High School Survey

A separate mail survey of the schools attended by civilian NLSY79 respondents was conducted during 1980. Schools eligible for survey were U.S. schools attended by civilian respondents who had both been interviewed in 1979 and completed the 1979 "School and Record Information Release Form." A follow-up release form, the "Student Release/Locating Form," was administered by Profile of American Youth examiners during the summer of 1980—2,200 forms were collected. Designed to supplement both subjective respondent information on educational experiences collected during the main surveys and the transcript data collections described below, the school survey gathered information on:

  • each school's total enrollment
  • type of grading system
  • number of books in the school library
  • vocational/technical course offerings
  • dropout rate
  • percent of economically disadvantaged students
  • characteristics/qualifications of the staff
  • percentage average daily attendance

Also collected was respondent-specific information for the school surveyed including:

  • month/year last enrolled
  • reason not enrolled
  • highest grade attended
  • whether the respondent had participated in remedial English, remedial mathematics, English as a second language, or bilingual education classes

Scores from intelligence and aptitude tests administered to the youth during his or her schooling were also collected. Table 1 in the Aptitude, Achievement & Intelligence Scores section of this guide presents the names of the tests and the numbers of respondents for whom scores are available.

NLSY79 Transcript Surveys

During 1980-1983, transcript information was collected for 8,778 civilian NLSY79 respondents who were 17 years of age or older and who were expected to complete high school within the United States. The types of information gathered for each of up to 64 courses included:

  • grade level at which the course was taken
  • a code for the high school course
  • the final or computed grade for that course
  • the source of the final grade
  • the credits received

Rumberger and Daymont (1982) review the types of academic and vocational courses reported during the initial transcript fielding effort.

Additional information collected from each school for each surveyed respondent included:

  • number of days the respondent was absent from school in each of the high school grades attended
  • the respondent's rank in class for the last year attended
  • number of students in the respondent's class for the last year attended
  • dates (month/year) last enrolled at this school
  • reason left this school

Be aware that these data have high nonresponse rates. In some cases, individual items are only available for small numbers of youth.

Summary variables include the final transcript disposition status, the year in which these transcript data were collected, and an error flag for these transcript data. Scores (math and verbal) from standardized tests collected during this special survey are discussed in the Aptitude, Achievement & Intelligence Scores section. Table 1 depicts fielding periods, target samples, and the number of eligible respondents for each of the transcript fielding efforts.

Table 1. NLSY79 Transcript data collection, rounds, and fielding periods (1980-1983)
Round Fielding Period Target Sample Number of Eligible Respondents Number for Whom Transcript Data Collected 
Note 1.1
Round I April-October 1980 Respondents 17 years of age or older as of the 1979 interview 8,420 5,825
Round II September-December 1981 Respondents born in 1963, that is, age 17 as of January 1981, plus Round I Respondents with less than eight semesters coursework and still enrolled 2,376 1,927
Round III September-December 1983 Respondents born in 1964 plus Respondents  born before 1964 with less than eight semesters coursework supplied during Rounds I & II 1,576 1,258

Note 1.1: Some amount of information was collected for 8951 respondents.

References

National Center for Research in Vocational Education and Center for Human Resource Research. NLSY High School Transcript Survey: Overview and Documentation. Columbus, OH: CHRR, The Ohio State University.

NORC. "The School and Transcript Survey: Technical Report." Chicago: NORC, University of Chicago, 1980.

NORC. "Transcripts II: Technical Report." Chicago: NORC, University of Chicago, 1982.

NORC. "Transcripts III: Technical Report." Chicago: NORC, University of Chicago, 1984.

Rumberger, Russell and Daymont, Thomas N. "The Effects of High School Curriculum on Labor Market Success." In Pathways to the Future, Volume II. A Final Report on the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Labor Market Experience in 1980. Michael E. Borus, ed. Columbus, OH: CHRR, The Ohio State University, 1982.

Comparison to Other NLS Surveys School surveys have been conducted for children born to female NLSY79 respondents, NLSY97 respondents, and members of the Young Women and the Young Men cohorts. These surveys have recorded information on the school's total enrollment, number of books in the school library, qualifications of the staff, and ethnic/racial composition of the faculty and students. Transcript surveys have been conducted for the NLSY97 and have included information on course subject matter, enrollment dates, and grades earned. For more precise details about the content of each survey, consult the appropriate cohort's User's Guide using the tabs above for more information.
Survey Instruments & Documentation This information was collected using the "School Questionnaire" and the "Student's School Record Information" forms, copies of which appear in the NLSY High School Transcript Survey: Overview and Documentation. This document, a composite of the NLSY79 round-specific technical documentation prepared by NORC (1980, 1982, 1984), also provides background information on the administration of this survey, a discussion of data quality and consistency issues, a copy of the "Transcript Coding Sheet," and a listing of course codes.
Areas of Interest The 96 variables from the school survey are labeled as 1979 raw variables and can be found in the "School Survey" areas of interest in the NLSY79 data set. Transcript data from all years are labeled as 1981 created variables and can be found within the "Transcript Survey" area of interest along with the absenteeism/rank/enrollment information collected during the Transcript Survey.

Aptitude, Achievement & Intelligence Scores

Created variables

  • AFQT SCORES: 1981, 1989 (renormed), 2006 (renormed) - These variables represent the respondent's AFQT scores calculated from the ASVAB tests for the vast majority of respondents who took them in 1980. The scores have been renormed twice based on updated standards.
  • INDIVIDUAL AFQT ITEMS: Responses for each item in Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Word Knowledge (WK), and Paragraph Comprehension (PC) were coded as correct/incorrect.
  • AFQT WEIGHTED Z SCORES and PERCENTILES: Z scores and percentiles were calculated for Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Word Knowledge (WK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), and the combined math (AR and MK) and combined verbal (WK and PC) scales. Respondents were grouped into 4-month age intervals for each birth year. Item response theory (IRT) theta scores were ranked from lowest to highest within each age group and nonparametric distribution function was calculated using the ASVAB sampling weights.

Important information: Using aptitude, achievement and intelligence scores data

  1. Users are encouraged to use the scaled and percentile scores since they provide a method of ranking individuals not available when raw scores are used. The NLSY79 includes some respondents who, although not institutionalized in 1979, may have significantly diminished mental abilities. These individuals may be identified by examining the "Interviewer Remarks" section of the questionnaires (see, for example, R50578. in 1994). Researchers may wish to restrict their universes for certain analyses as these respondents sometimes provide responses that are more error-prone.
  2. The norms for the AFQT are based on persons who are at least 17 years old; those NLSY79 respondents born in 1963 and 1964 were not used in constructing the norms. While scores have been constructed for these younger respondents, users should be aware that because scores are not adjusted in any way to reflect the younger ages, percentile scores for these respondents may not be correct in a psychometric sense. Relative rankings of ability as measured by the AFQT should be correct among respondents with the same birth year, even for those born in 1963 or 1964.
  3. The 1990 and subsequent releases of NLSY79 data include 13 new "Profiles" variables that reflect Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) practices as of February 1992 (see R06180.10-R06183.). Users should note that the full sample of 1979 NLSY79 respondents--not just those interviewed during the 1980 main youth surveys--was eligible for ASVAB testing. Bock and Moore (1986) provide an excellent discussion of the ASVAB and present tabular results from this special test administration. ASVAB scores collected from school records during the high school survey are available for a limited number of respondents.

The following three surveys, conducted independently of the regular NLSY79 interviews, collected aptitude and intelligence score information:

  • Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), a special survey administered in 1980 to the 1979 sample of NLSY79 respondents (see Table 1)
  • High School Survey, a 1980 survey of high schools, which used school records to collect scores from various aptitude/intelligence tests and college entrance examinations administered during the youth's high school career (see Table 1)
  • Transcript Survey, a 1980-83 collection of high school transcript information, which included the gathering of math and verbal scores from such tests as the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and the American College Test (ACT) (see Table 1)

Additionally, an abbreviated version of the "Knowledge of the World of Work" scale was directly administered to the young men and women of the NLSY79 as an assessment in 1979.

ASVAB administration

During the summer and fall of 1980, NLSY79 respondents participated in an effort of the U.S. Departments of Defense and Military Services to update the norms of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The Department of Defense and Congress, after questioning the appropriateness of using the World War II reference population as the primary basis for interpreting the enlistment test scores of contemporary recruits, decided in 1979 to conduct this new study. NLSY79 respondents were selected since they composed a nationally representative sample of young people born during the period 1957 through 1964. This testing, which came to be referred to as the "Profile of American Youth," was conducted according to standard ASVAB procedural guidelines.

Profile of American Youth

  • Respondents were paid $50.
  • Five to ten persons were tested at more than 400 test sites, including hotels, community centers, and libraries throughout the United States and abroad.
  • 11,914 civilian and military NLSY79 respondents (or 94 percent of the 1979 sample) completed this test including:
    • 5,766 or 94.4 percent of the cross-sectional sample.
    • 4,990 or 94.2 percent of the supplemental sample.
    • 1,158 or 90.5 percent of the military sample.

The ASVAB consists of a battery of 10 tests that measure knowledge and skill in the following areas:

  • general science
  • arithmetic reasoning
  • word knowledge
  • paragraph comprehension
  • numerical operations
  • coding speed
  • auto and shop information
  • mathematics knowledge
  • mechanical comprehension
  • electronics information

The following variables are available for each youth tested:

  • raw scores
  • scale scores
  • standard errors
  • sampling weight
  • high school graduation status
  • whether the test was completed under normal or altered testing conditions

A composite score derived from select sections of the battery can be used to construct an approximate and unofficial Armed Forces Qualifications Test score (AFQT) for each youth. The AFQT, developed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), is a general measure of trainability and a primary criterion of enlistment eligibility for the Armed Forces. Three AFQT percentile scores, an AFQT-1, AFQT-2 and an AFQT-3, were created for each Profiles respondent and are described below.

AFQT-1

To construct AFQT-1, the raw scores from the following four sections of the ASVAB are summed:

  • Section 2 (arithmetic reasoning),
  • Section 3 (word knowledge),
  • Section 4 (paragraph comprehension),
  • and one half of the score from Section 5 (numerical operations).

AFQT-2

Beginning in January 1989, DOD began using a new calculation procedure. The numerical operations section of the AFQT-1 had a design inconsistency resulting in respondents getting tests that differed slightly and resulted in slight completion rate differences.

Creation of this revised percentile score, called AFQT-2, involves:

  • computing a verbal composite score by summing word knowledge and paragraph comprehension raw scores;
  • converting subtest raw scores for verbal, math knowledge, and arithmetic reasoning;
  • multiplying the verbal standard score by two;
  • summing the standard scores for verbal, math knowledge, and arithmetic reasoning;
  • converting the summed standard score to a percentile.

AFQT-3

In 2006 the AFQT-2 scores were renormed controlling for age so that the AFQT can be used comparatively with the NLSY97. For this reason NLS staff recommend using the AFQT-3. Although the formula is similar to the AFQT score generated by DOD for the NLSY79 cohort, this variable reflects work done by NLS program staff and is neither generated nor endorsed by DOD.

To calculate the AFQT-3, NLS Program staff first grouped respondents into three-month age groups. That is, the oldest cohort included those born from January through March of 1957, while the youngest were born from October through December 1964, a total of 32 cohorts, with an average of about 350 respondents per cohort (there was one unusually small cohort: the youngest cohort has only 145 respondents). The revised dates of birth from the 1981 survey (R0410100 and R0410300) were used whenever these disagreed with the information from the 1979 survey. With the revised birth dates, a few respondents were born outside the 1957-1964 sampling space of the survey.

Those born before 1957 were assigned to the oldest cohort, while those born after 1964 were assigned to the youngest cohort. ASVAB sampling weights from the Profiles section were used (R0614700). Within each three-month age group and using the sampling weights, staff assigned percentiles for the raw scores for the tests on Mathematical Knowledge (MK), Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Word Knowledge (WK), and Paragraph Comprehension (PC) based on the weighted number of respondents scoring below each score (ties are given half weight). Staff added the percentile scores for WK and PC to get an aggregate Verbal score (V) for which an aggregated intra-group, internally normed, percentile was then computed. NLS Program staff then added the percentile scores for MK, AR and two times the aggregated percentile for V. Finally, within each group we computed a percentile score, using the weights, on this aggregate score, yielding a final value between zero and 100. Note there are three implied decimal places.

Data recovery

Based on a search of archival files and an examination of the original ASVAB score sheets, revised correct/incorrect indicators based on the answer key and hard copy were generated for the four tests used for the AFQT -- Paragraph Comprehension (PC), Word Knowledge (WK), Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) and Mathematics Knowledge (MK). Consequently, the variables in the newly released AFQT answer file will, for some respondents, show a different number of correct answers than in the original scoring for these tests.

Item response theory norms for the AFQT

Additional norms for the AFQT scales (PC, WK, AR, and MK) were created using Item Response Theory (IRT) theta scores from the three-parameter logistic model (3PL). IRT jointly estimates item scores and respondent scores via fixed effect estimation. The three parameter logistic model (3PL) also estimates a guessing parameter for each item. Based on evidence from factor analyses of the unidimensionality of pooled Paragraph Comprehension and Word Knowledge, as well as Arithmetic Reasoning and Mathematics Knowledge, IRT theta scores were also generated for the combined math (AR and MK) and combined verbal (WK and PC) scales. These pooled tests should give better resolution of these two domains.

The IRT theta scores were used to create norms for PC, WK, AR, MK and the combined math and verbal scales. In norming these tests, respondents were grouped into four-month age intervals for each birth year. By breaking the norming step into 24 cohorts, we avoid the risk that some might conclude younger respondents have less native ability than older respondents. Within each age group, IRT theta scores were ranked from lowest to highest. Using the ASVAB sampling weights, percentiles were calculated based on the weighted number of respondents scoring below each respondent.

Additional details can be found in Appendix 24: Reanalysis of the 1980 AFQT Data from the NLSY79.

References

Bock, R. Darrell and Moore, Elsie G.J. Advantage and Disadvantage: A Profile of American Youth. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1986.

U.S. Department of Defense. "Profile of American Youth: 1980 Nationwide Administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery." Washington, DC: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics), March 1982.

U.S. Department of Defense. "Profile of American Youth: 1980 Nationwide Administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery." Washington, DC: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics), March 1982.

High School Survey

During April through October 1980, a separate survey was conducted of U.S. high schools attended by civilian NLSY79 respondents. This school survey obtained information about the characteristics of each school. It also gathered respondent-specific information that included scores from various intelligence and aptitude tests administered during the respondents' schooling.

Data are available for tests such as the:

  • California Test of Mental Maturity
  • Differential Aptitude Test
  • Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
  • Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

A variety of other tests are available including college entrance examinations such as the:

  • Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)
  • Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
  • American College Test (ACT)

The following types of information are available for each test taken: 

  • IQ score
  • national percentile score
  • date (month/year) the test was administered
  • student's grade level at the time of testing

A modest number (1,058 or 9.1 percent) of civilian NLSY79 respondents has one or more such scores available from the high school survey; additional scores may be available from the transcript survey.

Transcript Surveys

High school transcript information was collected during 1980, 1981, and 1983 for those civilian respondents who were expected to complete high school in the United States. While the focus of these surveys was course and grade information, math and verbal scores from the PSAT, the SAT, and the ACT were also collected. One or more (sub)scores for at least one test are available for 2,434 (21.3 percent) of civilian NLSY79 respondents. Additional information, including references to technical reports on these surveys, can be found in the School & Transcript Surveys section of this guide.

Table 1 provides an alphabetical listing of the tests from the high school, and transcript surveys and the number of respondents for whom scores are available.

Table 1. Aptitude & intelligence tests: NLSY79 School Survey and Transcript Survey testing
Intelligence Test Reference Number Area of interest

Number of Respondents with Scores
American College Test (ACT) R06201. Transcript Survey

1,127
R06202. Transcript Survey

1,124
R00173.86=9 School Survey

72
R00173.92=9 School Survey

17
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) (Profiles) R06150.-R06159. Profiles

11,914
R00173.86=6 School Survey

16
R00173.92=6 School Survey

3
California Achievement Test R00173.86=14 School Survey

71
R00173.92=14 School Survey

17
California SFTAA R00173.86=1 School Survey

203
R00173.92=1 School Survey

14
California Test of Mental Maturity R00173.11 School Survey

599
California Test of Basic Skills R00173.86=11 School Survey

172
R00173.92=11 School Survey

27
Cognitive Abilities Test R00173.86=5 School Survey

59
R00173.92=5 School Survey

28
Coop School & College Ability Test R00173.41 School Survey

164
Differential Aptitude Test R00173.36 School Survey

569
General Aptitude Test Battery R00173.86=16 School Survey

27
R00173.92=16 School Survey

1
Henmon-Nelson Test of Mental Maturity R00173.26 School Survey

201
Iowa Test of Basic Skills R00173.86=12 School Survey

75
R00173.92=12 School Survey

7
Iowa Test of Educational Development R00173.86=13 School Survey

53
R00173.92=13 School Survey

9
Kuhlman-Anderson Intelligence Test R00173.31 School Survey

176
Lorge-Thorndike Intelligence Test R00173.21 School Survey

691
National Educational Development R00173.86=10 School Survey

22
R00173.92=10 School Survey

1
Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test R00173.16 School Survey

1,191
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Battery (PSAT) R06197. Transcript Survey

1,386
R06198. Transcript Survey 

1,386
R00173.86=3 School Survey

77
R00173.92=3 School Survey

41
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) R06199. Transcript Survey

951
R06200. Transcript Survey

948
R00173.86=2 School Survey

41
R00173.92=2 School Survey

16
SRA Assessment Survey R00173.86=20 School Survey

32
R00173.92=20 School Survey

2
SRA - Primary Mental Abilities R00173.86=4 School Survey

40
R00173.92=4 School Survey

2
Stanford Achievement Test R00173.86=17 School Survey

40
R00173.92=17 School Survey

2
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale R00173.46 School Survey

101
Sequential Tests of Educational Progress (STEP) R00173.86=18 School Survey

0
R00173.92=18 School Survey

0
STS High School Placement Test R00173.86=15 School Survey

64
R00173.92=15 School Survey

3
Terman-McNemar Tests R00173.86=8 School Survey

1
R00173.92=8 School Survey

0
Tests of Academic Promise R00173.86=7 School Survey

13
R00173.92=7 School Survey

1
Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children R00173.51 School Survey

120

References

National Center for Research in Vocational Education and Center for Human Resource Research. NLSY High School Transcript Survey: Overview and Documentation. Columbus, OH: CHRR, The Ohio State University.

Parnes, Herbert S. and Kohen, Andrew I. "Occupational Information and Labor Market Status: The Case of Young Men." Journal of Human Resources. 10 (1): 44-55, 1975.

Parnes, Herbert S., Miljus, Robert C. and Spitz, Ruth S. Career Thresholds: A Longitudinal Study of the Educational and Labor Market Experience of Male Youth. Vol. I. U.S. Department of Labor Manpower Research Monograph No. 16. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1970.

Knowledge of the World of Work

One assessment, an abbreviated version of the "Knowledge of the World of Work" scale, was directly administered to the young men and women of the NLSY79 in 1979. This set of questions (R00260.-R00268.) asks respondents to pick one of three statements that best describes the duties of each of 10 commonly held jobs. A total score can be calculated by awarding one point for each correct answer (Kohen and Breinich, 1975; Parnes and Kohen, 1975; Parnes, et al., 1970).

This question has an age restriction in that all respondents were asked questions concerning their thoughts on certain kinds of jobs that people actually do. Respondents who were 14-15 years old were skipped out at Q.2. 

Comparison to Other NLS Surveys

Extensive information on the cognitive development of children born to female respondents of the NLSY79 is available. The NLSY97 collected three specific achievement tests reported by the respondent--the SAT I, American College Test (ACT), and Advanced Placement (AP) test. Achievement test scores were collected during special transcript or school surveys for the Young Women, and the Young Men. Available scores for respondents in the Young Men's and Young Women's cohorts are primarily from the California Test of Maturity and the Otis/Beta/Gamma; a few respondents have SAT I or ACT scores recorded, and a wide variety of other tests are also included.

From the summer of 1997 through the spring of 1998, most NLSY97 round 1 respondents participated in the administration of the computer-adaptive form of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (CAT-ASVAB). AFQT scores were generated by NLS staff for the NLSY97 and can be used comparatively with the NLSY79 AFQT-3 scores. NLSY97 respondents were also administered The Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT). For more precise details about the content of each survey, consult the appropriate cohort's User's Guide using the tabs above for more information.
Survey Instruments & Documentation

ASVAB. Test questions from the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery are not available to the public.

High School Survey. Copies of the high school survey and transcript survey instruments can be found within NLSY High School Transcript Survey: Overview and Documentation, which contains background information on the sample design and field work of these special surveys, a summary of the types of variables collected, and coding information.
Areas of Interest

ASVAB. ASVAB variables collected during the 1980 Profiles testing are located on the NLSY79 main data set within the "Profiles" area of interest (R06150.-R06183.). The NLSY79 documentation item Attachment 106: Profile of American Youth provides general and technical information on the Profiles testing and an annotated bibliography of related publications. An addendum discusses the creation of AFQT-1, AFQT-2, and AFQT-3.

High School Survey and Transcript Survey. Variables collected during the High School Survey are located on the main NLSY79 data set within the "School Survey" area of interest (R00173.11-R00173.97). Test scores from the Transcript Surveys are located on the main NLSY79 data set within the "Transcript Survey" area of interest (R06197.-R06202.)

Knowledge of the World of Work. These questions are found in the "Attitude" area of interest.

Educational Attainment & Enrollment

Created variables

  • HGC_EVER: This XRND variable contains the highest grade ever completed updated through the respondent's most recent interview in which relevant questions were asked. These incorporate adjustments to prevent respondents from regressing in years of schooling when they take such actions as returning to school in a new field.
  • HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER: This XRND variable reflects the highest academic degree that has ever been reported, through the respondent’s most recent interview in which relevant questions were asked.
  • HGC_REVISED: These variables represent the highest grade completed by the respondent as of each interview date. These are created with some adjustments to keep people from regressing in years of schooling when they take such actions as returning to school in a new field.
  • ENROLLMT_STATUS_REVISED: These variables represent the respondent's enrollment status on May 5 of survey year. There should be little to no difference between the original and revised versions of this variable. They are simply produced by determining whether the respondent reported being enrolled in May of the survey year.

Important information: Using educational attainment & enrollment data

A review of the NLSY79 enrollment and grade attending and completed data found a number of inconsistencies, such as the highest grade attended or grade currently attended decreasing over time, and such. Revised 'Highest Grade Completed' and 'Enrollment Status' variables, which seek to clean up some of the inconsistencies, have been added to the data set. See Appendix 8 in the NLSY79 Codebook Supplement for a description of these revisions.

In recent rounds, created XRND variables HGC_EVER and HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER (described above) have been added to the public release (in the 2018 and 2022 releases respectively). These variables reflect the most recent available reports of highest grade completed and academic degree reported. Reviews of apparent discrepancies and inconsistencies in respondent reporting are incorporated, as well as updates based on more recent or clarifying information reported by respondents.  Reporting discrepancies and inconsistencies and variable creation processes are described in Appendix 8 in the NLSY79 Codebook Supplement.

Information on NLSY79 respondents' educational experiences has been collected during each survey year. In addition, three special data collections conducted during 1980-1983 gathered the following for select universes: 

  • supplementary information on degrees and certifications received as of the 1980 survey
  • detailed information on the amount of time spent at school on each of the past seven days and the amount of time spent in various school-related activities, such as attending classes, studying, participating in other activities
  • high school course information gathered (directly from school records) during the 1980-1983 transcript surveys

Table 1 summarizes the major types of NLSY79 educational status and attainment variables and identifies the survey years during which such data were collected.

Table 1. Educational attainment and school enrollment variables: 1979-2020
Variable Survey Years
Current School Enrollment Status Currently attending or enrolled in school 1979-2020
Grade attending 1979-2020
Specific months R was attending regular school since last interview 1981-2016
Month/year last enrolled in school ((not enrolled) data users must compute months R was attending)) 1979-1998
Reason left school (not enrolled) 1979-2020
Any high school/college courses taken while in Armed Forces 1979-1985
Enrollment status as of May 1 survey year (Key/Created Variable) 1979-2006
Highest Grade Attended or Completed Highest grade attended since last interview 1979-2020
Highest grade completed since last interview 1979-2020
Years of school completed while in the Armed Forces since last interview 1979-1985
Highest grade completed as of May 1 survey year (Key/Created Variable) 1979-2016
Type of High School Curriculum Type of current/last school curriculum in grades 9-12 1979-1985
1st-8th high school subject during most recent enrollment; grades 9-12 1979
High school courses from the Transcript Surveys 1980-1983
Nature of high school program 1980
Major Field of Study in College Major field of study current/last college attended 1979-1983
Major field of study most recent and 2nd/3rd most recent college attended 1984-1986, 1988-1990, and 1992-2018
College Status Full time/part time status (in college last enrolled since 9/1 past year) 1979-1983
Full time/part time status most recent and 2nd/3rd most recent college 1984-1986, 1988-1990, and 1992-2018
Attainment of a High School Diploma and Other Degrees Ever received degree/diploma 1979
Have high school diploma or equivalent 1979-2020
Have diploma or GED 1979-2018
Month/year received diploma or GED 1979-2018
Received degree since last interview 1980-1984 and 1989-2020
Received more than one college degree since last interview 1981-1984
Diploma/degree received during or since recent Armed Forces enlistment 1979-1985
Highest degree ever received (including high school diploma) 1988-2020
Month/year received degree/highest degree 1979-1980 and 1988-2020
Types of diplomas/college degrees received 1979-1984
Types of diplomas/college degrees received during or since recent enlistment 1979-1985
Name and Geographic Location (Available on Restricted Geocode Release) State location of current/last college attended 1980-1983
Location of most recent college(s) attended (available on Geocode release through 2004) 1984-1986, 1988-1990, and 1992-2018
FICE/UNITID code of most recent and 2nd/3rd most recent college attended 1984-1986, 1988-1990, and 1992-2018
College Loans Educational loan received for this year's college expenses 1979-1983
Educational loan received to cover most recent and 2nd/3rd most recent college attended 1984-1986, 1988-1990, and 1992-2018
Total amount of educational loans: most recent and 2nd/3rd most recent college attended 1984-1986, 1988-1990, and 1992-2018
Household/Family Members Highest grade completed for each household member 1979-2016
Highest grade completed for R's mother, father, oldest sibling 1979
Highest grade completed for R's current or most recent spouse 1979-1982
Highest grade completed for all siblings 1993

Armed Forces sample

From 1979 to 1985, respondents who had served in the Armed Forces since their last interview or were actively serving at the time of the interview were asked a series of questions about high school or college courses taken and the years of education completed while in the military.

  • COLLEGE/HIGH SCHOOL COURSES TAKEN WHILE IN ARMED FORCES?
  • COLLEGE/HIGH SCHOOL COURSES SINCE LAST INT/MOST RECENT ARMED FORCES SERVICE?
  • HIGHEST GRADE COMPLETED BEFORE MOST RECENT ARMED FORCES ENLISTMENT
  • YEARS OF SCHOOL COMPLETED WHILE IN ARMED FORCES SINCE LAST INT
Related User's Guide Sections

Additional information on schooling as it relates to other areas of the respondent's life can be found in the following sections:
Survey Instruments and Documentation

Core education questions are found in the yearly questionnaires in the "Regular Schooling" sections (see Section 3 or 4) and the "Military" sections (Section 7 [1979], Section 6 [1980], Section 5 [1981], and Section 4 [1982-1985]). "Regular school" provides credit toward an academic degree or diploma. Sections 14 and 12 of, respectively, the 1979 and 1980 questionnaires collected supplementary information on the types of degrees and other certifications that the respondent had obtained.
Areas of Interest Most variables related to schooling are located in the "School," "Degrees & Certificates," or "Military" areas of interest. The yearly created variables on enrollment status and highest grade completed are found in the "Key Variables" areas of interest as are the HGC_EVER and HIGHEST_DEGREE_EVER XRND variables. The special high school course information has been placed in "Transcript Survey," while the 1981 time use data (which tracked hours and minutes spent at various major activities, including school) is located in "Time Use." Family and household member educational attainment variables are found, respectively, in the "Family Background" and "Household Record" areas of interest. The "Geocode" and "FICE" areas of interest contain data on the specific colleges attended (FICE codes) and are part of the restricted-use Geocode file.
National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79)

National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79)

The NLSY79 Cohort is a longitudinal project that follows the lives of a sample of American youth born between 1957-1964. The cohort originally included 12,686 respondents ages 14-22 when first interviewed in 1979; after two subsamples were dropped, 9,964 respondents remain in the eligible samples. Data are now available from Round 1 (1979 survey year) to Round 30 (2022 survey year).

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