Title page
Contents
BACKGROUND ON U.S. MILITARY SERVICE 2
DATA AND STUDY SAMPLE 4
STUDY QUESTIONS 5
1. What percentage of 2002 high school sophomores had entered the military by 2012? When did they enter? 6
2. How did the student, family, and high school academic characteristics of those who served in the military compare with those of students who did not serve in the military? 7
3. How did the postsecondary enrollment, fields of study, and attainment rates of students who served in the military compare with those of students who did not serve in the military? 11
4. How did students who served in the military compare with those who did not serve in terms of financial aid, including whether they borrowed for postsecondary education and the total amount borrowed? 15
TECHNICAL NOTES 18
REFERENCES 22
APPENDIX A. ESTIMATES AND STANDARD ERRORS 24
TABLE 1. STUDENT AND FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of selected student and family characteristics among 2002 high school sophomores, by whether students had served in the military: 2012 7
TABLE 2. ACADEMIC AND HIGH SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of selected academic and high school characteristics among 2002 high school sophomores, by whether students had served... 10
TABLE 3. MAJOR FIELD FOR HIGHEST DEGREE BY MILITARY SERVICE Among 2002 high school sophomores who earned a postsecondary credential, percentage distribution of major field for highest postsecondary degree attainment,... 14
FIGURE 1. TIMING OF FIRST MILITARY SERVICE 6
FIGURE 2. MILITARY SERVICE BY STUDENT AND FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS Percentage of 2002 high school sophomores who had served in the military, by selected student and family characteristics: 2012 8
FIGURE 3. MILITARY SERVICE BY ACADEMIC AND HIGH SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS Percentage of 2002 high school sophomores who had served in the military, by selected academic and high school characteristics: 2012 9
FIGURE 4. POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT AND TIMING BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of 2002 high school sophomores' postsecondary enrollment and timing of enrollment, by whether students had served in the military: 2012 11
FIGURE 5. SECTOR OF FIRST-ATTENDED POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION BY MILITARY SERVICE Among 2002 high school sophomores who had enrolled in postsecondary education, percentage distribution of sector of first-attended... 12
FIGURE 6. HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of 2002 high school sophomores' highest educational attainment, by whether students had served in the military: 2012 13
FIGURE 7. FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS BY MILITARY SERVICE AND HIGHEST CREDENTIAL Among 2002 high school sophomores who had enrolled in postsecondary education, percentage who took out a federal student loan and, of those,... 16
Exhibits
Exhibit 1. Bias analysis results 20
Table A-1. Estimates and standard errors for figure 1. TIMING OF FIRST MILITARY SERVICE Percentage of 2002 high school sophomores who had served in the military, and of those, the percentage distribution of age,... 24
Table A-2. Estimates and standard errors for figure 2. MILITARY SERVICE BY STUDENT AND FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS Percentage of 2002 high school sophomores who had served in the military,... 25
Table A-3. Estimates and standard errors for figure 3. MILITARY SERVICE BY ACADEMIC AND HIGH SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS Percentage of 2002 high school sophomores who had served in the military,... 27
Table A-4. Estimates and standard errors for figure 4. POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT AND TIMING BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of 2002 high school sophomores' postsecondary enrollment and timing of enrollment,... 29
Table A-5. Estimates and standard errors for figure 5. SECTOR OF FIRST-ATTENDED POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION BY MILITARY SERVICE Among 2002 high school sophomores who had enrolled in postsecondary education,... 30
Table A-6. Estimates and standard errors for figure 6. HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of 2002 high school sophomores' highest educational attainment, by whether students... 31
Table A-7. Estimates and standard errors for figure 7. FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS BY MILITARY SERVICE AND HIGHEST CREDENTIAL Among 2002 high school sophomores who had enrolled in postsecondary education, percentage who took... 32
Table A-8. Standard errors for table 1. STUDENT AND FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of selected student and family characteristics among 2002 high school sophomores,... 33
Table A-9. Standard errors for table 2. ACADEMIC AND HIGH SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS BY MILITARY SERVICE Percentage distribution of selected academic and high school characteristics among 2002 high school sophomores,... 34
Table A-10. Standard errors for table 3. MAJOR FIELD FOR HIGHEST DEGREE BY MILITARY SERVICE Among 2002 high school sophomores who earned a postsecondary credential, percentage distribution of major field for highest... 35