E. THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE (W4, 1991)

How do 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

W4C056 E1 You will have a job that pays well?

W4C057 E2 You will be able to own your own home?

W4C058 E3 You will have a job that you enjoy doing?

W4C059 E4 You will have a happy family life?

W4C060 E5 You will be in good health most of the time?

W4C061 E6 You will be able to live wherever you want to in the country?

W4C062 E7 You will be respected in your community?

W4C063 E8 Life will turn out better for you than it has for your parents?

W4C064 E9 Your children will have a better life than you've had?

W4C065 E10 You will have good friends you can count on?

W4C066 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

W4C067 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

W4C068 E13 Do you plan to attend any other school, besides college, after you leave high school (like a vocational school, trade school, or technical institute)?

1 Yes

2 Maybe, I am considering it

3 No

-9 Missing

W4C069 E14 Do you think you will serve in the armed forces?

1 Definitely won't 

2 Probably won't 

3 Probably will

4 Definitely will

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

W4C070 E15 Career or occupation

W4C071 E16 Marriage, relationship with my husband or wife

W4C072 E17 Being a parent, relationship with my children

W4C073 E18 Relationships with my parents and other relatives

W4C074 E19 Friendships

W4C075 E20 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

W4C076 E21 Good pay

W4C077 E22 Time off when I need it

W4C078 E23 A steady job, with little chance of being laid off

W4C079 E24 Good chance of getting ahead

W4C080 E25 A chance to be helpful to others or useful to society

W4C081 E26 A chance to work with people rather than things

W4C082 E27 A chance to make my own decisions at work

W4C083 E28 A job that is easy

W4C084 E29 A job where I have a lot of responsibility

W4C085 E30 A job that uses my skills and abilities

W4C086 E31 A job that people regard highly

W4C087 E32 A chance to learn a lot of new things at work

E33 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

W4C088 E34 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

Have any of the following people influenced your choice of this kind of work? (Circle all that apply.)

1 Very much

2 Much

3 Somewhat

4 Not at all

-9 Missing

W4C089 E35 An older brother or sister

W4C090 E36 Mother

W4C091 E37 Father

W4C092 E38 An Uncle or an Aunt

W4C093 E39 A Grandparent on my mother's side

W4C094 E40 A Grandparent on my father's side

W4C095 E41 Another relative

W4C096 E42 A teacher or coach at school

W4C097 E43 A guidance counselor at school

W4C098 E44 A work-study coordinator at school

W4C099 E45 A friend

W4C100 E46 A priest, minister or rabbi

W4C101 E47 A neighbor or an adult friend of the family

W4C102 E48 An adult working in the same field

E49 What else has influenced your interest in this kind of work? (Circle all that apply.)

1 Circled 

2 Not circled

-9 Missing

W4C103 1 School

W4C104 2 TV, movies, books, or magazines

W4C105 3 A summer job, a part-time job during school, or other work experience

W4C106 4 Volunteer work

E50 Are you concerned that any of the following things might interfere with your future career plans? (Circle all that apply.)

1 Circled 

2 Not circled

-9 Missing

W4C107 1 Grades not high enough

W4C108 2 Lack of ability to get relevant training or degree

W4C109 3 Military service, war

W4C110 4 Lack of money to complete education or get started in my chosen career field

W4C111 5 Illness, accident, or disability

W4C112 6 Lack of openings in my field, absence of jobs

W4C113 7 Marriage

W4C114 8 Children

W4C115 9 Discrimination against persons of my race or ethnic background

W4C116 10 Discrimination against persons of my sex

W4C117 E51 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

E51A If yes, about what age do you think you will be when you get married?

W4C118 Age Low (-9 Missing)

W4C119 Age High (-9 Missing)

W4C120 E52 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

W4C121 E53 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

E54 How many children do you expect to have?

W4C122 Number of children low  (-9 Missing)

W4C123 Number of children high  (-9 Missing)

W4C124 E55 Do you have any children now?

1 Yes

2 No

4 BLANK, but E55A ANSWERED

-9 Missing

E55A How many?

W4C125 Number of children__________

-9 Missing

W4C126 E56 Do you expect to work after you have children?

1 Yes (GO TO E56A)

2 No (GO TO E57)

3 Does not apply; I do not plan to have children (GO TO E58)

-9 Missing

W4C127 E56A 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

W4C128 E57 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; I do not plan to have children

-9 Missing

W4C129 E58 What about your plans for next Fall (September of 1991)? Will you be living with your parents?

1 I definitely will be living with my parents

2 I probably will be living with my parents

3 I don't know

4 I probably will not be living with my parents

5 I definitely will not be living with my parents

-9 Missing

E59 Pick out the plan (or plans) for next Fall that will most likely work out for you. (Circle all that apply.) Next fall I plan to:

1 Circled 

2 Not circled

-9 Missing

W4C130 1 Continue attending high school

W4C131 2 Go to a two-year college

W4C132 3 Go to a four-year college or university

W4C133 4 Go to a technical or vocational school

W4C134 5 Continue working in my present part-time job or full-time job

W4C135 6 Work at a new part-time job

W4C136 7 Work full-time at a new job and/or receive on-the-job training on a new job

W4C137 8 Be in the military service

W4C138 9 Be a homemaker

W4C139 10 I don't have any definite plans; I'm just going to wait and see what happens

W4C140 11 Other, please specify:______________

E60 If you plan to go to college next Fall, have you made any of the following preparations? (Circle all that apply.)

1 Circled 

2 Not circled

-9 Missing

W4C141 1 I have talked with teachers or counselors about it

W4C142 2 I have signed up for, or take, college entrance exams (for example, the SAT)

W4C143 3 I have written to college(s) for application form(s)

W4C144 4 I have submitted one or more college applications

W4C145 5 Not applicable

W4C146 E61 If you plan to continue your education, please tell us the name and location of the school that you will most likely attend.

1 Name and location given

2 Name and location not given

-9 Missing

W4C147 E61A Are you planning to join the military next Fall? (Include ROTC or the Reserve)

1 No (GO TO F1, PAGE 15)

2 Yes (CONTINUE)

3 No             but below answered

4 Blank        but below answered

-9 Missing

In deciding to join the military, how important is each of the following to you?

1 Extremely important 

2 Very important

3 Somewhat important

4 Not at all important

-9 Missing

W4C148 E62 Serving my country

W4C149 E63 Career opportunities look better than in civilian life

W4C150 E64 The travel, excitement, new experience

W4C151 E65 Becoming more mature and self-reliant

W4C152 E66 Learning a trade or skill that would be valuable in civilian life

W4C153 E67 Interest in aircraft, guns, ships or rockets

W4C154 E68 Opportunity for advanced education, professional training, or scholarships

W4C155 E69 Leaving some personal problems behind me

W4C156 E70 In case of a draft, I want to have my choice of service

W4C157 E71 The veterans' benefits

W4C158 E72 The G.I. Bill