Family and Peer Influences in College Plans of High School Students

Data from 612 students in 8ix midwestern high 8chools are analyzed to assess the relative effects of socio-economic background and peer influences on their college plans. The analysis reveals that by the end of the senior year of high school, status in the social system of the 8chool contributes more to variation in college plans than does parents' education. These findings ohallenge the results of several studies which show that the most important source of variation in educational aspirations is the child's 8ocio-economic background.