E. THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE (W3, 1990)





Think about how you see your future.  What are the chances that: 


1 Very high 

2 High

3 About fifty-fifty

4 Low

5 Very low

-9 Missing

W3C055 E1 You will have a job that pays well?

W3C056 E2 You will be able to own your own home?

W3C057 E3 You will have a job that you enjoy doing?

W3C058 E4 You will have a happy family life?

W3C059 E5 You will be in good health most of the time?

W3C060 E6 You will be able to live wherever you want to in the country?

W3C061 E7 You will be respected in your community?

W3C062 E8 Life will turn out better for you than it has for your parents?

W3C063 E9 Your children will have a better life than you've had?

W3C064 E10 You will have good friends you can count on?




W3C065 E11 If it were up to you, how far would you like to go in school?


1 Less than high school graduate

2 High school graduate

3 Community college degree

4 4-year college degree (B.A., B.S.)

5 Master's degree

6 Ph. D. or professional degree (such as medicine, law or dentistry)

8 (7) Don't know

-9 Missing




W3C066 E12 What is the highest level of schooling you really think you will finish?


1 Less than high school graduate

2 High school graduate 

3 Community college graduate

4 4-year college degree (B.A., B.S.)

5 Master's degree

6 Ph.D. or professional degree

8 (7) Don't know

-9 Missing




W3C067 E13 Do you plan to attend any other school, besides college, after you leave high school (like a secretarial school, vocational school, trade school, or technical institute)?


1 Yes

2 Maybe, I am considering it

3 No

-9 Missing




How IMPORTANT do you think each of the following things will be to you when you are an adult?


1 Not at all important

2 Somewhat important

3 Very important

4 Extremely important

-9 Missing


W3C068 E14 Career or occupation

W3C069 E15 Marriage, relationship with my husband or wife

W3C070 E16 Being a parent, relationship with my children

W3C071 E17 Relationships with my parents and other relatives

W3C072 E18 Friendships

W3C073 E19 Participation as a citizen in my community




In the future, how important do you think each of the following will be to you when you are looking for a FULL-TIME JOB?


1 Not at all important

2 Somewhat important

3 Very important

4 Extremely important

-9 Missing


W3C074 E20 Good pay

W3C075 E21 Time off when I need it

W3C076 E22 A steady job, with little chance of being laid off

W3C077 E23 Good chances of getting ahead

W3C078 E24 A chance to be helpful to others or useful to society

W3C079 E25 A chance to work with people rather than things

W3C080 E26 A chance to make my own decisions at work

W3C081 E27 A job that is easy

W3C082 E28 A job where I have a lot of responsibility

W3C083 E39 A job that uses my skills and abilities

W3C084 E30 A job that people regard highly

W3C085 E31 A chance to learn a lot of new things at work




E32 What occupation would you like to go into? If you are unsure, what kind of work are you thinking about? (Include full-time homemaker.)


For more information about this variable, see work history and occupational coding




W3C086 E33 How certain are you about these plans? (Circle all that apply.)


1 Very certain

2 Somewhat certain

3 Not very certain

4 Not at all certain

-9 Missing




W3C087 E34 Do you expect that you will get married someday?


1 Yes, I am quite sure I will marry

2 Yes, I probably will marry

3 Don't know

4 No, I probably won't marry

5 No, I am quite sure I won't marry

6 I am already married

-9 Missing




E34A If yes, about what age do you think you will be when you get married?


W3C088 Age Low (-9 Missing)

W3C089 Age High (-9 Missing)




W3C090 E35 Do you expect to work after you get married?


1 Yes

2 No

3 Does not apply; I do not plan to marry

-9 Missing




W3C091 E36 Do you expect that your spouse will work after you get married?


1 Yes

2 No

3 Does not apply; I do not plan to marry

-9 Missing




E37 How many children do you expect to have?


W3C092 Number of children low  (-9 Missing)

W3C093 Number of children high  (-9 Missing)




W3C094 E38 Do you have any children now?


1 Yes

2 No

3 No, but E38A answered

4 Blank, but E38A answered

-9 Missing




E38A How many?


W3C095 Number of children__________

-9 Missing




W3C096 E39 Do you expect to work after you have children?


1 Yes

2 No

3 Does not apply; I do not plan to have children

-9 Missing




W3C097 E39A If you did go to work after having a child (or children), when would you expect to go? (We mean to a job that would take at least 15 hours a week.)


When my child (or my younger child) is:

1 Less than a year old

2 About one or two years old

3 In nursery school

4 In kindergarten

5 In elementary school

6 In junior high school

7 In high school

8 In college

9 Gone from home

-9 Missing




W3C098 E40 If you have children, do you think that your spouse will work outside the home?


1 Yes

2 No

3 Maybe, I am not sure

4 Does not apply

-9 Missing




<< PREVIOUS SECTION
D. What You Look for in a Job (W3, 1990)
NEXT SECTION >>
F. Volunteer and Paid Work (W3, 1990)