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On whom do high school students rely for information about their post-high school education?

New research from the U.S. Department of Education says that, far and away, high school students see family members as their top source of information. The research is based on a study of more than 23,000 students in a representative sample of public high schools. Behind family members, students cited "myself" and then other sources of information.

Bar chart: Percentage distribution of fall 2009 public school ninth-graders as of spring 2012, by student reports on who most influenced their thinking about education after high school. Who most influenced students’ thinking? Family members: 49 percent. Myself: 34 percent. Teacher: 5 percent. Friends: 4 percent. Counselor: 3 percent. Employer, military recruiter, coach or scout: 3 percent. Don’t know: 3 percent. Note: “Family members” includes response categories for “your parents” and “another family member”; “myself” includes “yourself” and “no one in particular”; “counselor” includes “high school counselor” and “counselor hired by your family to help you prepare for college admission.” Source: US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, First Follow-Up.

The study also explored the impact of socioeconomic status on sources of influence on future education. Here, the differences were not dramatic, and the basic patterns were the same.

But family members were more influential for wealthier than less wealthy students. Teachers and counselors were more influential for those with lower socioeconomic status.

Bar chart: Percentage distribution of fall 2009 public school ninth-graders as of spring 2012, according to student reports on who most influenced their thinking about education after high school, by socioeconomic status. Who most influenced students’ thinking? For low socioeconomic status: Family members: 47 percent. Myself: 29 percent. Teacher: 7 percent. Friends: 4 percent. Counselor: 5 percent. Employer, military recruiter, coach or scout: 3 percent. Don’t know: 4 percent. For middle socioeconomic status: Family members: 48 percent. Myself: 35 percent. Teacher: 4 percent. Friends: 4 percent. Counselor: 3 percent. Employer, military recruiter, coach or scout: 3 percent. Don’t know: 2 percent. For high socioeconomic status: Family members: 52 percent. Myself: 36 percent. Teacher: 3 percent. Friends: 3 percent. Counselor: 1 percent. Employer, military recruiter, coach or scout: 2 percent. Don’t know: 2 percent.

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