Examining the Effects of High School Contexts on Postsecondary Enrollment

• DOI: 10.1007/s11162-009-9150-y
• Publication Date: 2009-11-02T15:13:35Z
• Authors: Mark E. Engberg; Gregory C. Wolniak
• Keywords: Attendance; Postsecondary education; Sample (material); Educational Attainment

The present study is organized around the central hypothesis that the high school context affects students’ postsecondary outcomes. Drawing on a nationally representative sample of high school seniors from the Educational Longitudinal Survey (ELS:2002), this study broadens our empirical understanding of how students’ acquisition of human, social, and cultural capital at the individual and school level affects 2- and 4-year college attendance. Results highlight the normative role of high schools in promoting college enrollment, particularly the role of socioeconomics, academic preparation, and access to parent, peer, and college-linking networks. This study advances our understanding of the secondary-postsecondary nexus and has implications for policies and practices aimed at realizing the current administration’s promise of providing greater access to postsecondary education for all students.