June 26, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

2002 high school graduates and college enrollment

Among the 2.8 million high school graduates in 2002, 1.8 million (65.2 percent) were enrolled in college the following October.

College enrollment of year 2002 high school graduates, by sex, race and Hispanic origin
[Chart data—TXT]

The college enrollment rate of young women (68.4 percent) exceeded that for young men (62.1 percent). The percentage of women attending college following high school graduation has exceeded that of men in almost every year since 1988.

White graduates continued to enroll in college in greater proportions (66.7 percent) than either black (58.7 percent) or Hispanic graduates (53.5 percent).

This information is from a supplement to the October 2002 Current Population Survey. Additional information is available from "College Enrollment and Work Activity of 2002 High School Graduates" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 03-330. 

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