Career Plans and Experiences of June 1961, College Graduates

The study consists of two datasets with four waves in the
first and five in the second. College students receiving a degree at
the end of the June, 1961 term from an eligible institution of higher
learning were interviewed about their future cateer plans (Wave I or
Dataset 1). For the next three years (1962-1964) the same respondents
were reinterviewed to compare experiences with previous plans (Waves
II-IV). The second dataset includes the same four waves as the first
with a fifth wave conducted in 1968 to study the attitudes of the
respondents after they had been out of college for seven years. Wave I
probed areas of career desire versus areas the respondent would
actually be involved in. The differences in their views from freshman
year to senior year were questioned. Other issues investigated were
financial desires for the future, peer group influence, and college
activities. Waves II through IV asked what the respondent was doing at
that time in relation to what he/she wanted or anticipated. Additional
areas such as career satisfaction and present goals were
ascertained. Wave V (appearing only in Dataset II) was directed to the
effect of college on the respondents' life. Again the respondent's
present activities were compared with his or her past goals. Personal
information was obtained on every wave.