C.	Overview of Analysis Topics and Survey Items
The core 2008 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:08) data elements are presented as a list of approximately 300 items arranged by topic. Table 11 presents the data elements for NPSAS, and Table 12 presents the data elements for members of the Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B) cohort. Most of these data elements appeared in the previously approved NPSAS:04 and NPSAS: 2000 studies (the last NPSAS to include a B&B cohort). The data elements for the NPSAS:08 cover general topics that pertain to all students, such as financial aid, tuition, enrollment, and demographic characteristics. However, many items are only relevant to certain categories of students, including dependent undergraduates, 1st and 2nd year students, the B&B cohort of graduating seniors, graduate/first professional, or those working while enrolled. In this case, the particular category of student has been specified in the list of data elements.
Some of the additions to the NPSAS:08 study data elements were made at the suggestion of the Technical Review Panel (TRP). For example, data elements were added for the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) and Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG) programs and for information received in loan counseling about repayment options. Data elements specific to students completing their Baccalaureate degrees in 2008 for the B&B longitudinal follow-up were also added. 
NPSAS is a particularly complex survey because it uses a large variety of sources and several sources may be available for the same data element. These are indicated in the sources columns, generally in the order of priority, as follows:
•	ACT: Data from American College Testing service files on ACT college entrance examinations and student questionnaires. 
•	CADE: Data from institutional records collected through a computer assisted data entry (CADE) system at the institutions or submitted in electronic data files. These include records from the registrar, bursar, and financial aid office.
•	CATI: Data from student interviews using either the web-based self-administered student interview or the computer assisted telephone interview (CATI). 
•	FAFSA: Data from the Central Processing System (CPS) for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which includes student and parent demographic, income and asset information, and expected family contribution used in need analysis. The records are called Institutional Student Information Reports (ISIR).
•	IPEDS: Data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) which includes institutional characteristics and enrollment.
•	NSLDS: Data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Student Loan Data system (NSLDS), which has a record of all individual student loans ever borrowed and all Pell Grant payments since 1994. 
•	SAT: Data from the College Board files of SAT college entrance examinations.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Institutional characteristics (NPSAS sample institution)	 	 	 	 	Survey administration	
Name and address	IPEDS	CADE	 	All	Sample stratum	
Control (public/private not-for-profit/ private for profit)	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
Level (less than 2-year/2-3 year/4+year)	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
Highest degree offered (certificate/ associate/bachelor/master/doctoral/ first-professional)	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
Affiliation (religious)	IPEDS	CADE	 	All	Institution description	
Carnegie (2005) classifications	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
Selectivity of institution	IPEDS			All		
State/region	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
Enrollment size (undergraduate/ graduate)	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 		
Calendar system (semester/quarter/ trimester/other/continuous)	IPEDS	CADE	 	All	Enrollment measurement	
Name of term (fall/winter/spring/summer)	CADE	 	 	All		
Beginning and ending dates of terms (month, year)	CADE	 	 	All		
Clock/contact or credit hour	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
Total length of programs (terms/hours)	CADE	CATI	 	All		
Do calendars, term dates, or credit hours vary by program? (specify)	IPEDS	CADE	 	All		
Scale used for GPA	CADE	 	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 		
NPSAS Study Eligibility Criteria	 	 	 	 	Study eligibility	
						
Enrolled at any time between July 1 to June 30.	CADE	CATI	 	All		
Enrolled in	(a)	an academic program	CADE	CATI	 	All		
	or 	(b)	at least one course for credit toward an academic degree	CADE	CATI	 	All		
	or 	(c)	vocational program that requires at least 3 months or 300 clock hrs	CADE	CATI	 	All		
	and (d)	not concurrently enrolled in high school	CADE	CATI	 	Undergraduates		
	and (e)	not enrolled solely in GED or high school completion program	CADE	CATI	 	Undergraduates		
 	 	 	 	 		
Program of study/class level/GPA	 	 	 	 	Student classification	
Undergraduate degree program (certificate/ AA/AAS/BA/5-yr BA/ none) 	CADE	CATI	 	Undergraduates	Academic programs	
Graduate/first-professional degree program (MBA, MEd, PhD, JD, MD, etc./none)	CADE 	CATI	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Completed requirements for degree (y/n)	CADE	CATI	FAFSA	All	Degree completion	
Date degree awarded or expected (month year)	CADE	CATI	 	All	B&B sample identification	
Major/ field of study (on line coding of CIP codes/ no major/undecided)	CATI	CADE	FAFSA	All		
Type of classes (list)	CATI			Non-degree   		
Undergraduate class level 
(1-5/unclassified/graduate taking undergraduate courses)	CADE	CATI	NSLDS	Undergraduates	Class level/years	
SMART Grants (eligibility/knowledge about/change of majors)	CATI			Undergraduates	SMART grants	
						
Graduate/first-professional year (1-3, 4+)	CADE	CATI	NSLDS	Graduate/first-professional		
Cumulative GPA 	CADE	CATI	 	All	Academic performance	
						
Enrollment /Attendance Status in NPSAS year	 	 	 	 	Enrollment classification	
Terms or months enrolled	CADE	CATI	 	All		
Attendance status for each term (full time/half time/less then half time)	CADE	CATI	 	All		
Number of credits earned during term	CADE	 	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 		
Attended other schools during NPSAS year (y/n)	CATI	 	 	All		
						
For each school attended during the year other than NPSAS school:	CATI	 	 	2+ institutions		
IPEDS code (on-line coding)	CATI	 	 	2+ institutions		
Name, city, state, level, control (on-line coding)	CATI	 	 	2+ institutions		
Attendance status (full time/ part time)	CATI	 	 	2+ institutions		
						
Education goals	CATI				Educational goals	
Reasons for enrolling at this institution: 
– complete degree (certificate, AA, BA
– earn credits for degree elsewhere
– prepare for transfer to 4-year
– gain job skills
– prepare for job certification/license
– personal interest/recreation	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates		
Main reason for enrolling at this institution	CATI			Undergraduates		
Highest degree expected at this institution	CATI	 	 	All	 	
Highest level of education expect to complete in next 5-10 years	CATI	 	 	All		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Prior education					Education background	
Type of high school diploma (diploma/ GED/certificate/foreign high school/none)	CADE	CATI	 	Undergraduates		
Year high school diploma received 	CADE	CATI	 	Undergraduates		
Type of high school (public/private)	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates		
Admissions test scores	ACT	SAT  		Undergraduates under 30		
High school math courses	ACT	SAT	CATI	Undergraduates under 30		
High school GPA	CADE	CATI	 	Undergraduates under 30		
Earn credits at a college while in high school	CATI			Undergraduates under 30		
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) (eligibility/knowledge about/course taking) 	CATI	CADE		1st & 2nd year undergraduates	ACG grants	
						
Date began at NPSAS institution	CATI	CADE	 	All		
Was NPSAS institution first school attended after high school (y/n)	CATI	CADE 	FAFSA	Undergraduates		
Month and year first enrolled in first school	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates		
Received any previous degrees or certificates (specify)	CATI	 	 	All		
Ever taken courses at a community college (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates		
Ever taken courses at a 4-year college (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates		
 	 	 	 	 		
Month and year received bachelor's degree	CATI	CADE	 	Graduate/first-professional		
Date began graduate enrollment in this program	CATI	 	 	Graduate/first-professional		
Enrolled mostly full-time or part-time in prior years	CATI	 	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
						
Financial aid applications	 	 	 	 	Financial aid	
Applied for aid (y/n)	FAFSA	CATI		All		
Date of application (YYYYMM)	FAFSA			All		
Reasons for not applying (multiple)	CATI			Non-applicants		
						
Federal aid amounts:	 	 	 	 	Financial aid	
Pell Grant	NSLDS	CADE	 	Undergraduates		
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)	NSLDS	CADE		Undergraduates		
SMART Grants	NSLDS	CADE		Undergraduates		
FSEOG (Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant)	CADE	 	 	Undergraduates		
Federal Work-Study	CADE	 	 	All		
Perkins Loan	CADE	NSLDS	 	All		
Subsidized Stafford Loan (Direct/FFELP)	NSLDS	CADE	 	All		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan (Direct/FFELP)	NSLDS	CADE	 	All		
PLUS Loan	NSLDS	CADE	 	All		
Other federal grants (list)	CADE	 	 	All		
Other federal loans (list)	CADE	 	 	All		
						
State aid amounts:	 	 	 	 	Financial aid	
(Names of major programs are listed for each state)	 	 	 	 		
State need-based grant 	CADE	 	 	All		
State merit-only grant/scholarship	CADE	 	 	All		
State need and merit-based grant 	CADE	 	 	All		
State work-study program	CADE	 	 	All		
State special-purpose (non-need)	CADE  	 	 	All		
State vocational rehabilitation	CADE	 	 	All		
State loans	CADE	 	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 		
Institutional aid amounts:	 	 	 	 	Financial aid	
(Names of major programs are listed for each institution)	 	 	 	 		
Institutional grants-need-based	CADE	 	 	All		
Institutional grants-merit only	CADE	 	 	All		
Institutional athletic scholarship	CADE	 	 	Undergraduates		
Institutionally-sponsored work-study program	CADE	 	 	All		
Tuition waivers or discounts (non-employees)	CADE	 	 	All		
Tuition waivers or discounts (employees)	CADE	 	 	All		
Institutional loan	CADE	 	 	All		
Other Institutional aid (specify)	CADE	 	 	All		
						
 Graduate student assistantships/fellowships	 	 	 	 		
Teaching assistantship	CATI	CADE	 	Graduate/first-professional 	Financial aid	
Research assistantship	CATI	CADE	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
Graduate assistantship	CATI	CADE	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
Graduate Fellowship	CATI	CADE	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
Traineeship	CATI	CADE	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
Tuition paid with assistantship or by a research grant (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
Health insurance with assistantship (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Graduate/first-professional 		
 	 	 	 	 		
Other aid amounts:	 	 	 	 	Financial aid	
Aid from student’s employer	CATI	CADE	 	All		
Aid from parents’ employer	CATI	CADE	 	All		
Alternative (private) loans	CATI	CADE	 	All		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Grants & scholarships from other outside/private sources 	CATI	CADE	 	All		
Federal veteran's benefits 	CATI	FAFSA	CADE	All		
Other (listed or specify)	CADE  	 	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 		
Student borrowing/debt (cumulative)	 	 	 	 	Student debt	
Total borrowed for undergraduate education	CATI	NSLDS	 	All		
Amount still owed on undergraduate loans	CATI	NSLDS	 	Borrowers		
Total borrowed for graduate/first professional education	CATI	NSLDS	 	Graduate/first-professional		
Amount still owed on graduate loans	CATI	NSLDS	 	Borrowers		
Cumulative amount of undergraduate Stafford loans 	NSLDS	 	 	Borrowers		
Cumulative amount of graduate Stafford loans 	NSLDS	 	 	Borrowers		
Cumulative amount of Perkins loans	NSLDS	 	 	Borrowers		
Cumulative amount of PLUS loans	NSLDS	 	 	Borrowers (include graduate)		
Federal loan amount outstanding	NSLDS	 	 	Borrowers		
Loan counseling received (repayment options/future salaries in major)	CATI			Borrowers		
 	 	 	 	 		
Tuition and Student Budgets	 	 	 	 	College costs	
Tuition and required fees charged	CADE	 	 	All		
Out-of-jurisdiction tuition charged (y/n)	CADE	CATI	 	All		
Total student budget	CADE		 	Aid applicants		
Room and board	CADE	 	 	Aid applicants		
Books and supplies	CADE	 	 	Aid applicants		
Computer or special equipment	CADE	 	 	Aid applicants		
All other expenses	CADE	 	 	Aid applicants		
 	 	 	 	 		
Federal Need Analysis (aid applicants)	 	 	 	 	Need analysis	
Dependency status (dependent/independent)	FAFSA	CADE  	 	Aid applicants		
EFC formula type (dependent/ independent without dependents/ independent with dependents)	FAFSA	 	 	Aid applicants		
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)	FAFSA	CADE  	 	Aid applicants		
EFC: Parental Contribution (dependents only)	FAFSA	 	 	Aid applicants		
EFC: Student Contribution	FAFSA	 	 	Aid applicants		
 	 	 	 	 		
Student employment and earnings while enrolled	 	 	 	 	Student employment	
Type and amount of assistantship (research/ teaching/ other)	CATI	CADE		Graduate/ first-professional		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Teaching Assistantships: type of duties (discussion/grading/lab/office hours/ student e-mail teaching)	CATI	 	 	Graduate teaching assistants		
  		 	 			
Number of jobs for pay while enrolled	CATI 	CADE 	 	All 		
Type of job
– Work-study
– Assistantship (undergraduate)
– Co-op employment
– Paid practicum/internship
– Other job for the school
– Private employer or other	CATI	 	 	All		
Work-study for community service or tutoring (y/n)?	CATI	 	 	Work-study jobs		
 		 	 			
Job characteristics: 		 	 			
Location (on/off campus)	CATI	 	 	Employed		
Type of employer (school/for-profit/ nonprofit/government/ military/self-employed)	CATI	 	 	Employed		
Related to major or coursework (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Employed		
Held same job before enrolling (y/n)?	 	 	 	Employed		
Average hours per week worked while enrolled	CATI	 	 	Employed		
Amount earned while enrolled (per period)	CATI	 	 	Employed		
Number of weeks worked while enrolled (all/most/half/less than half)	CATI	 	 	Employed		
						
Primarily: (1) a student who works; (2) employee taking courses	CATI	 	 	Employed	Effect of jobs	
						
Reasons for working (spending money/ tuition/job experience/expected by parents/send money home)	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates who work		
Afford to attend school without working (y/n)?	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates who work		
Employment during prior summer (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates under 30	Source of funds	
Amount saved from summer job for educational expenses	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates under 30		
 	 	 	 	 		
Effect of job (restrict choice of classes/ limit number of classes/limit class schedule/assist with coursework/ career preparation/limit access to campus facilities)	CATI	 	 	Students who work 		
						
Effect of job on grades (positive/negative/ none)	CATI	 	 	Students who work		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Student Demographic Characteristics	 	 	 	 	Student demographics	
Gender (female/male)	CADE	CATI	FAFSA	All		
Birth date or age	CADE	CATI	FAFSA	All		
Marital status (never married/married/ separated/divorced/widowed)	CATI	FAFSA	CADE	All		
US born (y/n)	CATI	 	 	All		
US citizenship (yes/resident alien/student visa)	CADE	CATI	FAFSA	All		
Country of origin	CADE			Student visas		
State of legal residence	FAFSA	CATI	 	All		
						
Ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino/ Not Hispanic or Latino)	CATI	CADE	 	All		
Hispanic type (Mexican/Cuban/Puerto Rican/other)	CATI	 	 	Hispanics		
Race (American Indian or Alaska Native/ Asian/Black or African American/ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander/White)—select one or more	CATI	CADE	 	All		
Member of recognized tribe (y/n)	CATI	 	 	American Indians	 	
Language spoken in the home (English/ not English)	CATI	 	 	All except visa		
						
Number of dependent children	CATI	 	 	All		
Ages of dependent children 	CATI	 	 	With dependents		
Number of children in daycare	CATI	 	 	With dependents		
Monthly expenses for daycare	CATI	 	 	With dependents		
Supporting any other dependents (y/n) 	CATI	 	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 		
Location and housing	 	 	 	 	College costs	
Housing when enrolled (on campus/off campus/with parents)	CATI	CADE	 	Undergraduates		
Distance school from home	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates		
Distance school from work	CATI 	 	 	Employed 		
						
Military or Veteran Status	 	 	 	 		
Veteran of U.S. forces (y/n)	CATI	FAFSA	 	All		
Active duty or reserves of Armed Forces of U.S. (y/n)	CATI	FAFSA	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 	 	
Parents of dependent students	 	 	 	 	Family background	
Parents' marital status 	FAFSA	CATI	 	Under 30		
Number of people supported by parents	FAFSA	CATI	 	Under 30		
Number of other siblings in college	FAFSA	CATI	 	Under 30		
Siblings in college before respondent	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
Parents taking college courses	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
Parents born in US (y/n)	CATI	 	 	All except visa		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
 	 	 	 	 		
Parental support	 	 	 	 	Parental support	
Did parents help pay for:	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
Tuition (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
Housing (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
Living expenses (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
Other education expenses (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
						
Parents’ education	 	 	 	 	Family background	
Father's highest level of education	CATI	FAFSA	 	All		
Mother's highest level of education	CATI	FAFSA	 	All		
						
Parent Finances 	 	 	 	 	Family income	
Total income (ranges in CATI)	FAFSA	 CATI	 	Under 30		
Adjusted Gross Income 	FAFSA	 	 	Under 30		
U.S. Income tax paid	FAFSA	 	 	Under 30		
Own home (y/n)	CATI 			Under 30		
Business, farm or investments over $10,000 (y/n)	FAFSA	 CATI		Under 30		
						
Student finances 	 	 	 	 	Family income	
Student’s own income in prior calendar year 	FAFSA	CATI 	 	All		
Spouse income in prior calendar year	FAFSA	CATI 	 	Married		
Adjusted Gross Income (student and spouse)	FAFSA	 	 	All		
US income tax paid	FAFSA	 	 	All		
Receive any untaxed income (specify):
(TANF/child support/worker's comp/ disability/social security/food stamps)	CATI	FAFSA	 	 All		
Own a home, (y/n)	CATI	 	 	24 and over		
Monthly mortgage or rent	CATI	 	 	All		
Own business, farm or investments over $10,000 (y/n)	CATI	 	 	24 and over		

Credit cards	 	 	 	 	Student debt	
Number of credit cards in your own name	CATI	 	 	Under 30		
Usually pay off balance most months?	CATI	 	 	Card holders		
Current amount outstanding	CATI	 	 	Card holders		
Use credit card to pay tuition bills (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Card holders		
Parents ever help pay (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Card holders		
See notes at end of table.
Table 11.	NPSAS:08 data elements—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Remedial courses		 	 		Academic preparation	
Ever taken any remedial or developmental courses (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Undergraduates		
Number of remedial courses this year	CATI	 	 	1st/2nd year undergraduates		
 	 	 	 	 		
Distance education	CATI	 	 	All	Alternative instruction	
Type (internet/pre-recorded/live)	CATI	 	 	All		
Location 	CATI	 	 	All		
Number of courses	CATI	 	 	All		
Entire program via distance education (y/n) 	CATI	 	 	All		
Satisfaction 	CATI	 	 	All		
 	 	 	 	 		
Civic participation	 	 	 	 	Student involvement	
Registered to vote?	CATI	 	 	Citizens		
Ever voted in any national, state, local election?	CATI	 	 	Citizens		
 	 	 	 	 		
Community Service					Student involvement	
Perform any community service/volunteer work during last year (y/n)	CATI	 	 	All		
Type of community service activity (specify from list)	CATI	 	 	Volunteers		
Number of hours/month	CATI	 	 	Volunteers		
Work required for graduation or part of classes (y/n)	CATI	 	 	Volunteers		
 	 	 	 	 		
Student limitations or disabilities	CATI	 	 	All	Disabilities	
Any long lasting sensory condition (y/n)	CATI	 	 	All		
Any condition that limits physical activity (y/n)	CATI 	 	 	All 		
Any other condition lasting 6 months or more (y/n)	CATI	 	 	All		
Main limiting condition (specify from list)	CATI	 	 	With disabilities		
NOTE: IPEDS = Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System; CADE = computer assisted data entry; CATI = computer assisted telephone interview; FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid; SMART = National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent grant; ACG = Academic Competitiveness Grants; NSLDS = National Student Loan Data System; FFEL = Federal Family Education Loan; PLUS = Parent Loan for Undergraduate Student; ETS = Educational Testing Service; B&B=Baccalaureate and Beyond.
Table 12.	NPSAS:08 data elements for B&B sample members
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
B&B Eligibility Criteria						
Completed or expect to complete bachelor's degree at NPSAS school between July 1 and June 30? 	CATI	CADE? 	 	Undergraduates	B&B eligibility determination	
Date received/expect to receive bachelor's degree (year month)	CATI	CADE? 	 	B&B		
		 	 			
Employment plans		 	 		Labor market outcomes	
Employment plans for after graduation (have a job or firm offer/actively seeking a job/ not looking)	CATI	 	 	B&B		
If planning work, description (continuing same employment from before graduation/ beginning of career in occupation or industry/ temporary job while planning or preparing/ just paying bills/ etc.)	CATI			B&B work planners		
If planning work, employment status (full-time or part-time) 	CATI	 	 	B&B work planners	 	
If planning work, occupation (on-line coding)	CATI	 	 	B&B work planners	Prospective teachers identification	
If planning work, type of job search activities	CATI	 	 	B&B work planners	Transition to work	
						
Ever taught at K-12 level in a school setting (y/n) (Do not count home-schooling of your own or others’ children.)	CATI			All B&B	Pipeline definition	
If yes… types of teaching positions held (regular, substitute, teacher’s aide, support, itinerant, student teacher) Check all that apply.	CATI			B&B who have taught		
If yes to regular, support, or itinerant, year when first taught in any of those types of positions?	CATI			B&B who have taught		
Have you ever been certified to teach at the K-12 level (y/n) (Do not count emergency certificates or waivers.)	CATI			All B&B		
If y, when first certified to teach?	CATI			B&B ever certified		
If no, are you eligible to be certified or will you be eligible to be certified upon graduation?	CATI			B&B not ever certified		
						
Have you ever taken any of the following steps to prepare for a teaching career? Check all that apply.	CATI	 	 	B&B not ever certified and not eligible to be certified now or upon graduation		
Applied to teacher ed. program		 	 			
Taken Praxis or other examination to enter teacher education program		 	 			
Entered teacher ed. program		 	 			
Taken/taking courses toward teacher certification		Transcripts				
Completed/completing student teaching assignment, internship, or practicum		Transcripts	 			
See notes at end of table.
Table 12.	NPSAS:08 data elements for B&B sample members—Continued
Data elements	Sources	Applies to	Purpose/issues	
	1st	2nd	3rd			
Taken examination to receive teaching certificate/license						
Considering teaching at K-12 level (y/n)	CATI	 	 	B&B who have not taught, have never been certified, are not eligible and will not be eligible for certification upon graduation, have not taken any steps to prepare		
		 	 			
Graduate school plans	 	 	 		Graduate education	
Taken/planning to take GRE or other graduate/first-professional entrance exams	CATI			B&B		
Applied/applying/intending to apply to graduate or professional schools for next academic year (be able to distinguish)	CATI			B&B		
Source(s) of information about graduate schools (advisor/faculty, other students, Internet, directly from institutions…)	CATI			B&B grad planners		
Intended degree program/field of study (on-line coding)	CATI			B&B grad planners		
Intend to enroll full-time (y/n)	CATI			B&B grad planners		
Do you plan to be working full-time, part-time, or not at all while you are enrolled?	CATI			B&B grad planners		
Number of schools applied/applying to	CATI			B&B grad planners		
Accepted at any graduate schools	CATI			B&B grad planners		
Reasons for pursuing graduate education (career goals/undecided about career/no job prospects/ academic interests/availability of aid/urged by parents/ etc.)	CATI			B&B grad planners		
Reasons for not applying to graduate school (financial/undergraduate debt/not required for career goals/ no academic interest/personal)	CATI			B&B NOT grad planners		
Plan to apply in the future (y/n); If yes, expected year to begin graduate study	CATI			B&B NOT grad planners		
	 	 	 			
Selected Undergraduate Experiences						
Ever studied abroad? Where? How long?	CATI	Transcripts?		B&B	Undergrad preparation	
Ever taken language other than English? What? How long?	CATI	Transcripts?		B&B		
Original intended major in a STEM field (y/n)	CATI			B&B		
Ever attempted to transfer any credits to NPSAS institution? How many attempted/accepted	CATI	Transcripts?		B&B		
						
Locating Information	CATI			B&B	Follow-up tracing