Marriage Plans and Educational Aspirations

Abstract

Data from a national sample of 4,000 high school students indicate that aptitude, socioeconomic background, and marital plans each exert an independent influence on the educational aspirations of both males and females. The direct effect of marriage intentions on educational aspirations is shown to be especially marked for girls. Plans for future research employing a longitudinal design to explore the effects of marriage on educational aspirations and on educational attainment are briefly noted.