Cog Lab Report

This report describes the methodology, procedures, and general findings from cognitive testing conducted as part of the development for the full-scale instrument for the 2008/12 Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B:08/12) survey instrument. The B&B:08/12 study is housed in NCES’s Postsecondary, Adult, and Career Education Division. B&B:08/12 tracks sample member’s experiences with postbaccalaureate education, employment, debt and finances, family formation, civic engagement and volunteerism, and interest in and preparation for K-12 teaching. There is a strong focus on entry into and persistence in the K-12 teacher workforce. Information on teacher’s professional experiences will be collected, which will allow a comparison of the teaching profession to other occupations as well as a general study of labor market outcomes for the cohort as a whole. Also of interest of importance for the B&B study are questions concerning whether American colleges and universities are preparing enough graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and whether college graduates with training in these fields are using that training in the workplace or pursuing graduate education in STEM fields.

B&B:08/12 represents the third time that the B&B08 cohort will be contacted. The first contact was made in 2008 as part of NPSAS:08 base year. NPSAS:08 sample members that completed a baccalaureate degree that year were contacted again in 2009, one year after completing their degree, as part of B&B:08 follow up. B&B:08/12 is the four year follow-up of the 2008 baccalaureate degree recipients.

Staff from RTI’s Program for Research in Survey Methodology (PRISM) and Education Services Division (ESD) conducted cognitive interviews with recruited participants. The cognitive testing process was designed in order to enable the instrument team to:

examine the thought processes affecting the quality of answers provided to survey questions,
understand the extent to which terms in questions are comprehended,
evaluate the memory demands of the questions,
evaluate the ability of respondents to make calculations and judgments,
determine appropriate content and layout for of response categories,
assess the time it takes to complete the interview,
assess the navigational problems users face, and
identify sources of burden and respondent stress.

2 Methods and Procedures

2.1 Recruiting

Individuals were recruited from local areas surrounding Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and Chicago, Illinois using flyers and advertisements. These flyers and advertisements described the purpose of the cognitive interviews and details of participation, including the time commitment, incentive for participation, and contact information (telephone number, email address, and web address). The flyers also included a “QR code” that when scanned by a smart phone or tablet directly linked to an online eligibility screener. RTI International staff recruited participants in the following ways:

Posting online ads on Craigslist
Posting flyers in local universities and around the community, particularly in areas where graduate students might see them
Running a Facebook ad campaign targeting the sample of interest
Placing advertisements on the RTI Intranet
Recruiting friends and family members via word of mouth

Interested individuals were asked to complete a brief screening interview to determine their eligibility. Potential participants were either screened over the phone by an RTI International staff member or by an online eligibility screener where they answered the same screening questions, only online. The online screener asked questions that determined eligibility and collected contact information so those who were eligible could be contacted and scheduled for an interview. Individuals were eligible for the study if they met all of the following four criteria: (1) enrolled for a bachelor’s degree at a postsecondary institution at any time between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008; (2) completed the requirements for a bachelor’s degree between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008; (3) were awarded a bachelor’s degree by June 30, 2009; (4) were 18 years or older. Table 2-1 contains the number of individuals at different stages of the recruitment process.

Table 2-1. Participant Recruitment

Recruitment Stage	Number of Individuals
Screened but not eligible	24
Eligible but not scheduled	55
Scheduled but did not arrive for appointment	3
Completed interview	29
Total	111
Notes: Categories are mutually exclusive.

During the screening process, individuals were also asked questions to determine whether they belonged to the three sub-groups of interest. The first sub-group was “enrolled” students, those who had enrolled in any school for an additional degree or certificate since earning their bachelor’s degree. The second sub-group of interest was “teachers.” Individuals who had worked as a K-12 teacher since earning their bachelor’s degree, done anything to prepare for K-12 teaching, or were currently considering a K-12 teaching career were classified as “teachers.” The final sub-group of interest was “STEM,” consisting of individuals who earned a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field. These sub-groups are not mutually exclusive: an individual could be classified as both a teacher and STEM, for example.

2.2 Interview Procedures

Survey methodologists from RTI International conducted one-on-one interviews with twenty-four participants. The interviews were divided up into three sets. Between each set of interviewing, the instrument was revised based on the results from the previous set of cognitive interviews. Table 2-2 contains the dates and number of interviews in each set.

Table 2-2. Dates and Number of Interviews, by Set

	Start date	End date		Number of interviews
Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
			Start date		End date	Number of interviews
Set 1			October 11, 2011		October 20, 2011	12
Set 2			December 19, 2011		December 20, 2011	3
Set 3			January 24, 2012		February 3, 2012	14

Participants provided informed consent before beginning the study, and were given $40 after the completing the study. On average, interviews lasted about one and a half hours. During the interviews, participants completed the survey and interviewers probed participants about the questions and participants’ responses. Interviewers asked a series of “scripted probes,” prepared in advance, that targeted specific questions (see appendix D) . Examples of scripted probes include “How did you come up with your answer to this question,” “How easy or difficult was it for you to find your major [from the list provided],” and “In your own words, what is this question asking?” These scripted probes were revised after each set of interviewing to reflect changes to the instrument and new priorities for the interviews. In addition, interviewers asked spontaneous probes about questions that participants appeared to have difficulty answering or when participants seemed hesitant or unsure.

Staff from RTI’s Educational Studies Division (ESD) and researchers from the U.S. Department of Education were given the opportunity to observe the interviews. These individuals could listen to the interview on a shared telephone line and watch the participants’ computer screen via remote screen-sharing software called GoToMeeting. The interviews were audio recorded using software called Audacity.

Interviews were conducted in both web and telephone modes. For the web mode, participants used a laptop computer to enter their responses. For the telephone mode, interviews were also conducted in person, but simulated telephone interviewing by having the interviewer sit across from the participant, read the questions from the laptop, and enter the participant’s responses. The distribution of interviews by mode (telephone, web) and type of interview (enrolled, STEM, teacher, general) is shown in Table 2-3. The “general” category consists of respondents who did not belong to any of the three sub-groups of interest.

Table 2-3. Number of Interviews, by Mode and Type of Interview

Interview Type	Telephone	Web	Total
General	5	2	7
Enrolled	4	1	5
STEM	1	1	2
Teacher	3	3	6
STEM/Enrolled	2	3	5
STEM/Teacher	0	0	0
Teacher/Enrolled	0	2	2
STEM/Enrolled/Teacher	0	2	2
Total	15	14	29

3 Findings and Recommendations

This section presents the findings from the field test cognitive interviews and recommendations for revisions to the survey questions. Throughout the development process, the interview was revised based on findings from cognitive testing and from thorough review from the instrumentation team and survey methodologists. For example, one change that was not a direct result of cognitive testing and applied globally to a number of items was to revise a number of questions from “check all that apply” to forced-choice yes or no questions. Research has shown that forced-choice questions generate more positive responses than “check all that apply” questions and these types of questions are easier to administer over the telephone.

The sections below present just the results of the cognitive testing. A full listing of all changes to the instrument is available in Appendix D.

3.1 Eligibility

This section primarily collects information on the dates of enrollment and of degree completion at the school where the respondent earned his/her bachelor’s degree. It also asks about marital status and household composition. Wording changes were made to two items in this section.

B12AFINWHO. If respondents identify in B12AFINCON that they share financial responsibilities and decisions with another adult in their household, in B12AFINWHO they are asked to specify who they share these responsibilities with. Added the word “roommate” to the friend option to make more generally applicable.
B12AHCOMP. If respondents identify in B12AFINCON that they do not share financial responsibilities and decisions with another adult in their household, in B12AHCOMP they are asked whom, if anyone, they live with. Added a parenthetical “(e.g., roommate, etc.)” to “Another person or people not listed”.

3.2 Undergraduate Education

Overall, the questions worked well and participants were able to recall the information they were asked about.

3.3 Post-Baccalaureate Education/Training

In this section, participants were asked questions about any education and training they may have received after completing their bachelor’s degree. Overall, participants found it easy to understand the questions and provide a response in this section. There were a few minor problems with wording and question instructions. These problems and their solutions are described below.

B12CALTPLN. This item asks respondents what they would have done had they not been enrolled in school after receiving their BA. Two participants indicated that the question was either redundant or did not apply to them since they worked 40 hours per a week while enrolled. Prelogic was added that skips currently employed respondents past this form.
B12CEFUT. This item asks participants their likelihood of future enrollment. One respondent was confused by the wording and was not sure if it was referring to a specific degree or certificate or any degree or certificate. The wording was revised to be more concise from “enroll in a graduate school program or enroll for an undergraduate certificate or degree at any time in the future?” to “enroll in another program, degree, or certificate at either the undergraduate or graduate level?”
B12CELNMOS. This item asks respondents how much they typically pay each month on their federal student loans. Respondents seemed to be confused when all of the different loan types were read to them. Changed “How much do you typically pay each month on your federal education loans, including Stafford, Graduate PLUS, or Perkins loan? In your answer, please include payments for both undergraduate and graduate loans you may have.” to “How much do you typically pay each month on your federal student loans? Please answer based on any federal student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree.”
B12CFACS. This item asks how important certain factors were in choosing a field of graduate-level study. Three participants indicated that the sub-item “Ability to be successful in your career and have a family” was double-barreled because the “ability to be successful” was separate from the “ability to have a career and a family.” As a result this item was revised to “Ability to balance work and family.” No participants in Round 3 had difficulty understanding the revised item.
B12CPSTGRD. This item asks if students have enrolled in any school for an additional degree or certificate since completing their bachelor’s degree. Two participants answered yes to this question when they should not have. One answered yes because he completed a security guard certification program and another took a week-long industrial certification course. As this type of certification was not the intent of the question, the question was revised to include the following language, “Do not include professional certificates such as those earned through a week-long training course.” In the follow-up rounds, the majority of participants understood the additional degrees or certificates to include. No participants included certificate programs that should not have been counted.
B12CRSCWK. This question asks why the student decided to take non-degree course work. One participant said that she needed the courses to complete pre-requisites. This was not an option so she selected, “Other.” The option “Needed for prerequisite requirements” was then added to the question along with the option “Needed for long-term educational goals.”

3.4 Post-Baccalaureate Employment

B12DBEN01. Four participants were somewhat confused by the response option “tuition reimbursement” because they were graduate students and their fees were paid as part of their position. Two students selected “tuition reimbursement” and two students did not. One participant explained she selected it even though “ it was not quite right” for her situation. The other participant selected it because he said there was not a better option for his situation. This option was subsequently changed to “tuition remission or reimbursement” to more accurately capture the situation for many graduate students.

Participant comments implied that they were thinking mainly about benefits they have used. Therefore, the phrase “even if you did not use the benefit” was added to the question stem so that it read, “For this job, please indicate which of the following benefits your employer offered you, even if you did not use the benefit.”

B12DBENANY01. In round 2 a gate question was added before the benefits question asking, “excluding salary, hourly pay, bonuses, tips, etc., does your employer offer you any other benefits?” One participant initially said no to this question, and upon further probing it was revealed that he did have benefits such as paid time off. When he answered he was thinking primarily of health insurance. This question was revised to include a parenthetical that said “such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid vacation/holidays, etc.?” The interviewers noticed that respondents sometimes did not read the parenthetical. For round three the examples were added to the actual question such that it read, “Excluding salary, hourly pay, bonuses, tips, etc., did your employer offer you any other benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid vacation or holidays, etc.?”
B12DCHNG01. This item asks participants why they are no longer working for an employer. This was added for the second round of cognitive testing. Participants were probed on their reasons for wanting to leave their job, providing a number of common themes. These comments were used to revise the list of response options to capture the most common reasons listed by participants.
B12DCOMTIM01. This question asks how long it takes to get to work on an average day. Two participants indicated this was difficult because they work at two different locations for the same job. No changes were made to this item, however a gate item (B12DJBSET01) was added to identify respondents who commute to work. Those who telecommute are skipped around this item.
B12DIMPBEN. This question asks how important a variety of factors are for respondents when choosing a job. One of the options was “flexibility in job duties.” Two participants did not fully understand this option and it was subsequently changed to “making your own decisions about how to get your work done.”
B12DLICOBT. This question asks, “Was this license or certification issued by a state, industry, a company, a professional association, or some other organization?” The question was added after round 1. Only one participant seemed to be unclear on this question. The participant selected “State” for her teaching license, but she also selected “Professional Association,” thinking that the North Carolina Department of Instruction was a professional association. No changes were made to the wording, although the help text provides definitions of each option.
B12DLKWRK. This question asks participants to indicate the months they were actively looking for work, including looking for a different or additional job. Two participants wondered whether “looking for work” included looking casually. One of these participants did not select the months he was casually looking for work. Overall, participants did not have difficulty with this question. The layout was changed to highlight the months the participant was working to make it easier to recall which months the participant was looking for work.
B12DNSF18B01. This question was added after round 2 of cognitive testing. The question originally asked, “Did your duties in this job require the technical expertise of a bachelor’s degree or higher in…” Most participants understood that the question was asking if a bachelor’s degree or higher was required, but one participant thought “technical expertise” meant advanced computer skills. The question was revised to say “What kind of degree is required to complete the duties for this job with [EMPLOYER]?” The response options were modified to include “BA or higher.”
B12DNSF20B01. This question asks how relevant the skills required for participants’ jobs are to the skills they obtained in their post-baccalaureate degree or certificate program. The question was added prior to round 3. Two of the round 3 participants were asked this question for jobs they started before earning their degree. The logic was changed so this question would only be asked for jobs worked after earning their degree.
B12DNW01. This question asks what participants were doing during times that they were unemployed. It was added prior to round 3. During round 3, the response options were revised based on feedback from the interviews. The options “looking for work” and “enrolled in school” were added because three participants said that is what they were doing during their period of unemployment. “On strike” and “on layoff” were removed from the list because of the low likelihood participants would select these options.
B12DOCC01. This item asks respondents to describe their job duties and then select the best description of their job and duties from a pre-coded list. In round 1, three participants said they were a graduate research assistant. One web mode participant could not find this option in the list, and one telephone mode interviewer could not find the option for two participants. In round 3, one participant had difficulty finding a category for substitute teacher. The character limit was increased for the textbox because two participants exceeded the limit as they typed their descriptions. Additional instructions were added to let respondents know that their responses would be coded.
B12DOTHJOB01. This item was originally worded, “Aside from the job(s) you just told us about, have you had any other jobs (including a different job with the same employer) since earning your bachelor’s degree?” Few participants had difficulty with this item. In round 2, one participant was confused by the parenthetical and reread the sentence several times in order to understand the sentence. In Round 3, one participant who had been self-employed did not include his self-employment because the question asked about employers and not jobs. A different participant reported too much information by including an unpaid internship. The item was revised to replace “job(s)” with “employer(s)” and the parenthetical was changed to “including a different job with the same employer.”
B12DOVTIM01. This item asks participants if they received overtime pay, commission, or bonuses in their job. Overall, most participants did not have difficulty with this item, but one wanted clarification on whether the question was asking about whether overtime, commission, and bonuses were available or if she actually received them. She did not access the help text, where this information is provided. A second participant reported receiving award money but said it was not a bonus because it was taxed differently. One participant indicated a “no” response by leaving the “yes” option blank, rather than checking the “no” option. No changes were made.
B12DPREFT01. This item asks participants who work less than full-time if they would prefer to work more hours. One participant had difficulty giving an answer because the number of hours she wanted to work varied throughout her time at the job. No changes were made to this item.
B12DSALEXP. This item asks participants to identify which sources of information they used to guide their salary expectations when they were applying for jobs. Two participants thought the response options were comprehensive, but two others suggested adding blogs, websites such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, academic advisors, and career or guidance counselors. One participant hesitated as he chose a response because he talked to acquaintances but did not consider them friends. The response options were revised so that “friends inside the industry” and “friends outside of the industry” used the term “friends or acquaintances” instead of just “friends.” Also, “salary information websites like salary.com” was changed to “salary and job websites (e.g., CareerBuilder.com, LinkedIn.com, Salary.com, etc.).”

Two participants were unsure how to answer this question because they did not have salary expectations. One did not have expectations because she was looking for a temporary job, and the other did not have expectations because her job was an assistantship.

One participant thought the question did not apply to her because 1) it was an assistantship and she never had to apply for jobs, and 2) she was paid a stipend, not a salary.

One participant checked the “yes” options as appropriate, but when his answer was “no” he left the “no” options unchecked.

B12DWRKS. This question asks participants who are both enrolled and working if they are primarily a student working to meet expenses or an employee who decided to enroll in school. One participant felt that neither option applied to him because he was being paid to be a student. No changes were made to the item.

3.5 K-12 Teaching

B12ECRTTYP. This question asks teachers what type of teacher certification they hold. One participant selected an option that said “Certificate that requires additional courses, student teaching, or passing a test before obtaining regular certification.” The participant indicated that she already did those three things, but selected that option because it listed the activities she had to do in order to become certified. To address this misinterpretation of the question, answer choices were simplified to two options, “Regular certificate” and “Certificate requiring additional steps before full certification (e.g., temporary or probationary certificate.”
B12EJBTP01. This question asks teachers what type of K-12 teaching position they had when they first started teaching. One participant found the response option “Regular, full- or part-time, elementary or secondary school teacher” to be awkward due to the placement of the commas. This item was revised to “Regular classroom teacher (full- or part-time). The same participant also failed to notice the “Short-term substitute” and “long-term substitute” because they were toward the bottom of the list after choices such as “itinerant teacher.” To make those options more prominent, they were added after “Regular classroom teacher and changed to read as “Substitute, short-term” and “Substitute, long-term.”
B12ETHNKINFL. This question asks participants to report the factors that positively and negatively influenced their decision to pursue a teaching career. Initially, there were two questions, with one question measuring positive influences (B12ETHNKINFL) and another question measuring negative influences (B12ETHNKINNG). The response options for the two questions were the same (e.g., financial compensation, prestige of occupation, wanting to work with kids). One participant in the first round of testing said that “career advancement” doesn’t make sense as a negative influence and suggested that the response option be changed to “lack of career advancement.” To address this concern, simplify the cognitive process, and shorten administration time, we combined the two questions into one question, and asked participants to indicate whether each response option had a negative, positive, or no influence.

3.6 Student Background

B12FDEPS and B12FDEPDOB. These questions collect information about the number of dependents and their dates of birth. Initially, three questions were asked: one that asked whether the participant had “any dependent children or other dependents,” another that asked about the number of dependents, and a third question about the ages for any dependents mentioned. In the second round, the number of dependents question was removed. The question about ages of dependents was changed to a question about the dates of birth about dependents.

Three main changes also took place in the third round of testing:

A definition for dependents was added. Three participants were probed about their understanding of the definition. All three were able to put the definition into their own words, suggesting that they understood the definition.

A separate table was added to collect the dates when non-biological (adopted, step children) children became dependents. This separate table was subsequently removed after testing in the third round revealed that participants had difficulty understanding the task. The final version of the instrument contains instructions that respondents should report the dates when non-biological children became dependents, if other than the date of birth.

Separate questions about “other dependents” were added to collect information separately about the existence of other dependents such as siblings and parents (B12FOTHER) and the dates of becoming dependent (B12FOTDEP). These questions were added because the initial question about “dependent children or other dependents” did not provide examples of “other dependents.”

B12FINCOM. One participant reported $65,000 she received from a loan as “income.” To address this problem, instructions were added after the third round of testing saying “Do not include your spouse's income (if applicable), partner’s income (if applicable), any grants or loans you may have used to pay for school, or any money given to you by your family.”
B12FLANGS. This question asked participants which “second language” they knew best. Participants probed about this question generally understood what it was asking. Two participants said the follow-up questions (e.g., B12FLNGCAR, B12FLNGPLAN) were not very relevant to them because they did not remember their foreign language classes well. One of these participants, for example, was born in the 1960s and had to remember a high school language class. However, no changes were made in order to maintain consistency with this item set as it was administered in the first follow-up.
B12FMARST01. This question asking about marital history dates was added in Round 2. Participants were first asked whether their marital status had changed since the base year. If they answered affirmatively, they were then asked to indicate what the change was and the dates of all changes. Three participants said their marital status had changed. One of these participants said she thought this question was personal and another participant reported initially being confused about the response task. But both participants said the instruction text (“Knowing about family responsibilities can be important in understanding a person's education and employment history”) helped assuage these concerns about privacy and comprehension.
B12FRETIR. Initially, this question asked respondents if they had any type of retirement fund (yes or no). In Round 3, participants were asked to indicate whether they had each type of retirement fund (IRA, 401(k), 403(b), pension, other). One participant reported being unsure what “IRA” referred to. Help text was subsequently added to provide definitions of the different retirement funds.
B12FSELLPO. Participants were generally able to answer this question without difficulty. However, three participants who lived with their parents had slightly greater difficulty answering this question: one participant did not know whether to include parents’ assets, and another participant wanted to include parents’ assets, but didn’t know the value of the assets. The wording was revised to ask only about the respondent and his/her spouse or partner, if applicable.
B12FSPAMT. One participant was unsure whether she should include the amount her spouse has already borrowed or the amount he will borrow in the future. The participant provided the amount he has already borrowed. Help text was refined to clarify this point.

Appendix A: Incentive Receipt

Receipt for Participation

The participant has voluntarily taken part in a study to improve the materials used in a national survey of college graduates. This study is being conducted by RTI International for the National Center for Education Statistics. By my signature below, I confirm that I have given the participant $40.00 in cash in appreciation for his/her participation in this project.

RTI Staff Signature

Staff Signature signifies that respondent has received incentive payment.

Interview Date

Interview Time

Appendix B: Consent Forms

Consent to Participate in Research

Title of Research: 2008-12 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study

Introduction

You are being asked to participate in a cognitive interview which is part of a larger research study sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education. The study is designed to examine the decisions and experiences of individuals four years after completing a baccalaureate degree. Before you decide if you want to take part in this study, you need to read this Informed Consent form so that you understand what the interview is about and what you will be asked to do. This form also tells you who can participate in the interviews, the risks and benefits of participating, how we will protect your information, and who you can call if you have questions. Please ask the researcher to explain anything you don’t understand before you make your decision.

Purpose

The interview is being conducted by RTI International, a research organization located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Participation will involve answering questions and reviewing a survey for an upcoming study that will be used to learn about individuals’ experiences after college graduation. During the interview, we will ask you to complete a web or telephone survey and give us your thoughts on the questions you are being asked. In addition, we will ask you questions as you go in order to measure your understanding and interpretation of the questions in the survey. The information from the interviews will help us finalize development of the questions for a large study that will be conducted early next year.

Procedures

You are one of approximately 30 individuals participating in these cognitive interviews.

The interview will be audio recorded to make sure we don’t miss anything that you say. In addition to the recording, RTI and NCES staff may observe the interview to capture important details and to ask any questions concerning the interview. The recording and staff observations will be used to help us write a report summarizing the results of the interviews. Upon completion of the written report, the recording will be destroyed. Your name will never be used in the report that we write. If you do not wish to be recorded or have your interview observed, you still may participate in this research.

Study Duration

Your participation in the cognitive interview will take about 90 minutes.

Possible Risks or Discomforts

We do not anticipate that any of the discussion topics will make you uncomfortable or upset. However you may refuse to answer any question or take a break at any time.

Benefits

Your Benefits There are no direct benefits to you from participating in this study.

Benefits for Other People We hope that these interviews will help us develop and improve questions for a national survey that will help us understand individuals’ experiences after completing their baccalaureate degree.

Payment for Participation You will be paid $40 upon completion of the interview.

Confidentiality

RTI International is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education. This study is authorized by law under the Education Sciences Reform Act (Public Law 107-279). Your participation is voluntary. Your responses may only be used for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573).

Future Contacts

We will not contact you in the future.

Your Rights

Your decision to take part in this research study is completely voluntary. You can refuse to answer any question and you can stop participating at any time.

Your Questions

If you have any questions about the study, you may call Melissa Cominole at RTI International (919-990-8456). If you have any questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).

YOU WILL BE GIVEN A COPY OF THIS CONSENT FORM TO KEEP.

Your signature below indicates that you have read the information provided above, have received answers to your questions, and have freely decided to participate in this research. By agreeing to participate in this research, you are not giving up any of your legal rights.

Audio-taped: Check one.

I Shape1 agree to be audio-taped during the interview.

I Shape2 do not agree to be audio-taped during the interview.

Observed: Check one.

I Shape3 agree to be observed during the interview.

I Shape4 do not agree to be observed during the interview.


Signature of Participant		Date

Printed Name of Participant

I certify that the nature and purpose, the potential benefits, and possible risks associated with participating in this research have been explained to the above-named individual.


Signature of Person Obtaining Consent		Date

Printed Name of Person Obtaining Consent

Appendix C: Cognitive Testing Protocol

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

READ OR PARAPHRASE:

We are currently planning a study to learn about people’s experiences after graduation. As part of that planning, we are testing a survey that asks about your undergraduate education, as well as educational and employment experiences after graduation. Today, I’m hoping to get your honest feedback on the survey questions.

[FTF/PHONE: What I’ll ask you to do today is to answer the questions just as you would if an interviewer [called you on the phone/came to your door].

[WEB: What I’ll ask you to do today is to complete the questionnaire online, just as you would if you were answering from your home. So that I can keep track of what you’re doing, I would like for you to read the questions aloud and tell me your answers.]

In this survey, I am less interested in your actual answers to the questions. I am more interested in what you think about the questions and how you interpret them. As you go through the survey, I will also ask you some questions about your answers and the interpretation of the questions. Sometimes the questions I ask you may sound a little strange.

For example, the survey question may seem relatively simple such as “How many cars do you have?” However, people understand the word cars differently – some people might include trucks, vans and even motorcycles while other people would think of just cars. So a follow-up question I might ask would be something like “What does “cars” mean to you as it was used in this question? The reason for this is to see if different people understand the question differently.

Even though some of the questions I may ask you might sound like I am giving you a test, there are no right or wrong answers. My main goal is to make sure that the questions are understandable to everyone who takes the survey.

As you complete the survey, also feel free to tell me anything that comes to mind or ask me anything you are unclear about. You can also help by telling me anything you find hard to remember or difficult to understand.

Once we start, the interview will last about 90 minutes. When we are done, I will give you $40 cash as compensation for your time.

Do you have any questions? WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS:

SECTION 2: INFORMED CONSENT AND SET UP

Before we start, I’m going to give you a written consent form. This document explains the purpose of the study, who can participate in the interviews, the risks and benefits of participating, how we will protect your information, and whom you can call if you have questions. GIVE THE INFORMED CONSENT DOCUMENT TO THE PARTICIPANT.

Do you want me to read the consent document to you? Or do you want to read it yourself? READ THE DOCUMENT TO PARTICIPANT OR LET PARTICIPANT READ IT (AS APPROPRIATE.)

WHEN DONE:

ASK PARTICIPANT IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORM.
VERIFY THAT PARTICIPANT AGREES TO PARTICIPATE AND WHETHER PARTICIPANT AGREES TO BE AUDIO RECORDED AND OBSERVED.
HAVE PARTICIPANT SIGN THE DOCUMENT. GIVE PARTICIPANT INFORMED CONSENT TEXT (NOT SIGNATURE PAGE).
IF PARTICIPANT AGREES, TELL PARTICIPANT ABOUT OBSERVERS ON PHONE AND BEHIND MIRROR IN HILL 117 (IF APPLICABLE).
IF CONSENT WAS GIVEN, START TAPE RECORDER. COLLECT VERBAL CONSENT FOR AUDIO RECORDING.

START ON VARIABLE RETRNFRM

NOTE WHETHER PARTICIPANTS CLICK ON “HELP” HYPERLINKS.

IF THEY DO, ASK “What did you think of that definition? How helpful or unhelpful was it?” DON’T PROBE ON MORE THAN 3 DEFINITIONS PER INTERVIEW.

SECTION 3: COGNITIVE INTERVIEWING

POST BACCALAUREATE EDUCATION AND TRAINING

B12CPSTGRD

Have you enrolled in a college, university, or trade school for an additional degree or certificate —including enrollment for a graduate degree, an additional undergraduate degree, or a certificate program—since

completing your bachelor's degree requirements at [Y_NPSCHL]?

(Please only include schools in which you were enrolled after the completion of your bachelor's degree

requirements. Do not include professional certificates such as those earned through week-long training

courses. )

What does the instruction “Do not include professional certificates such as those earned through week-long training courses” mean to you?
Were there any degrees or certificates that you were unsure whether you should mention or not? Explain.

B12CALTPLN01

If you had not enrolled in your [DEGREE] program at [SCHOOL] in the 2011-2012 school year, would you have still attended school at a different program, or worked for pay?

How did you come up with your answer to this question?
Were these answer options okay or would you have liked to answer something else?

B12CFINAID01

Which of the following sources did you use to pay for your education expenses (such as tuition, fees, and books) and living expenses for your [DEGREE] at [SCHOOL]?Tuition, fees, books

Living expenses

How did you come up with your answer to this question?
This question asks about tuition, fees, and books separately from living expenses. Is that easier to answer or would it be easier to answer if they were combined? Explain.
IF SELECTED NOTHING: How did you pay for your program?

B12CHRDSHP01

For this question, please indicate how much you agree with the following statement. The financial cost (e.g., tuition, fees, books, lost income because not working or working less) of obtaining my [DEGREE] posed a significant hardship to me.

In your own words, what is this question asking?

B12CEDSTRS01

Please compare your stress level while you [are/were] in school studying for your [DEGREE] to your stress level while not enrolled.

What did the phrase “while not enrolled” mean to you? What time period were you thinking about? [PROBE FOR WHETHER THEY WERE THINKING PRIOR TO SCHOOL, SUMMERS, WORKING AFTER GRADUATION OR SOMETHING ELSE.]

B12CALTGATE

Have you taken courses that were taught online, at night, or on the weekend in the program you have been enrolled in since obtaining your bachelor's degree?

How did you come up with your answer?

B12CALTCRS

Were your courses taught online, at night, or on weekends?

Why did you choose [ANSWER]? PROBE AS NEEDED TO VERIFY THEY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION CORRECTLY.
What does “online” mean to you as it is used in this question? IF NECESSARY: Were you thinking of classes that were completely online or in person classes with online components, or both? PROBE FOR DETAILS OF ONLINE COMPONENTS (E.G. ONLINE OFFICE HOURS)

B12CLNWRTH, C12CLNINRS, B12CCOBEN

NEW QUESTIONS. PAY ATTENTION TO HOW EASY/DIFFICULT THESE ARE TO ANSWER AND PROBE AS NEEDED..

Loan Series (B12CELNRPY – B12CELNPLAN)

DO NOT ADMINISTER ALL PROBES FOR LOAN SERIES; USE THE FOLLOWING PROBES SELECTIVELY BASED ON RESPONDENT FEEDBACK.

B12CELNRPY

Are you repaying any federal student loans, including Stafford, Graduate PLUS, and Perkins loans? Please answer based on any federal student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree.

IF NO: Do you have any federal student loans?

B12CPRIVAMT

How much have you borrowed in alternative or private loans for your education? Please answer based on any private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor’s degree.

IF $0: Do you have any alternative or private loans?
NOTE WHETHER PEOPLE PUT A MONTHLY AMOUNT VS A TOTAL AMOUNT

B12CPRIVSTAT

What is the status of your alternative or private loans? Are you in repayment? Please answer based on any private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree.

You said “ANSWER,” can you tell me more about that? ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR OTHER
TIO: NOTE HOW EASY/DIFFICULT THIS IS TO CODE

B12CELNPLAN

Are your loan payments, for either federal or private student loans, being paid in whole or part by family or friends?

How easy or difficult was it to answer that series of questions about federal and private student loans? Why was it easy/difficult?
[IF GRAD SCHOOL] When you answered these questions were you thinking about undergrad, grad school or both? [IF ANSWER IS NOT BOTH]: Did you have loans for [undergrad/grad]?
How confident are you about whether your loans were federal or private?
How confident are you about the status of your loans and how much you pay each month?

B12CEOUTLN

Please indicate your level of stress regarding your education-related debt.

How did you come up with your answer to this question?

B12CFACS

Please indicate how important each of the following factors is to you in choosing a field of graduate-level study.

[IF ANSWERS ARE INCONSISTENT, E.G., SOMEONE WITH A MASTERS IN TEACHING SAYS EARNING POTENTIAL, PROBE ON THE INCONSISTENCY]
What does “ability to balance work and family” mean to you in your own words? (Probe to understand whether respondents interpret this item as meaning being SUCCESSFUL in balancing work and family or simply being ABLE to balance work and family -- even if they are not successful.)

Postbaccalaureate Employment

B12DEMPINT, B12DEMPLOY01: HIGH PRIORITY

… You can provide information about your employers in any order (e.g. your first job after graduation or your current

job). What is the name of this employer?

PROBE ON ANYTHING R HAS DIFFICULTY WITH

B12DCHNG01

Why are you no longer working for [INSERT COMPANY]?

What other reasons should be on this list, if any? (Are all the relevant reasons on the list?)
Are any of the options listed confusing or are they clear?

B12DNSF18b01

Did your duties in this job require the technical expertise of a bachelor’s degree or higher in….

What does the phrase “technical expertise” mean to you?
This question uses the word “require” what did that mean to you as used in this question?

B12DBENANY01

Excluding salary, hourly pay, bonuses, tips, etc, does/did your employer offer you any other benefits (such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid vacations/holidays, etc.)?

Do you have any benefits that you were unsure whether you should say yes to or not? What?

B12DLNINFL

Has the amount of student loan debt you have from your undergraduate education influenced your employment plans and decisions in any way?

What does “influenced your employment plans and decisions” mean to you? What did this make you think of? NOTE WHETHER PEOPLE ARE THINKING OF ITEMS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS LISTED IN B12DLNINRS.

B12DWHY

For which of the following reasons did you usually work fewer than 35 hours per week?

How clear or unclear are these reasons? (Are any of the options listed confusing or are they clear?)
What other reasons should be on this list, if any? (Are all the relevant reasons on the list?)

B12DIMPBEN

Please indicate how important each of the following benefits are to you when choosing a job.

FOR NON-SALARY: How did you come up with your answer to these questions?

B12DLICFILT

Earlier you mentioned earning a certificate or diploma. Is it… An industry certification or occupational license? A vocational or technical certificate or diploma?

[IF YES TO CERTIFICATION OR LICENSE] What kind of certification or license do you have? PROBE TO VERIFY IT IS THE CORRECT KIND OF LICENSE/CERTIFICATION.
How sure or unsure are you that you have/don’t have a professional certification or state/industry license?

TEACHING

B12EEVRTCH

Have you worked as a regular classroom teacher, itinerant teacher, support teacher, teacher's aide, substitute teacher, or student teacher at the K-12 level since graduating from [NPSAS]?

(Indicate "yes" only for teaching positions at public or private elementary or secondary schools. Do not include such positions as preschool teacher, SAT tutor or piano teacher in a non-school setting, graduate teaching assistant, or guidance counselor.)

[IF YES] What kind of teaching position did/do you have? PROBE SUFFICIENTLY TO VERIFY A YES RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION.

B12ETHNKINFL

Please indicate whether each of the following factors had a negative influence, no influence, or a positive influence on your thinking about whether to pursue a teaching career:

[IF NEGATIVE INFLUENCE FOR ANY] You said [ANSWER] negatively influenced you, why did you choose that answer? NOTE: THE POINT IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO THE R WHEN THEY SAY THAT A POSITIVE THING (E.G., prestige of position) NEGATIVELY INFLUENCED THEM. DOES THAT MEAN THE LACK OF PRESTIGE INFLUENCED THEM OR THEY DID NOT WANT A JOB WITH PRESTIGE?

B12ESMSC01

In addition to working as [TEACHER TYPE] at [SCHOOL/DISTRICT], have you held any other K-12 teaching positions? (If you have held multiple K-12 teaching positions, please report them in chronological order.)

NOTE WHETHER R LISTS TEACHING JOBS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OR NOT. IF NOT: Why did you list your jobs in that order?

B12EMYVER01

Did you begin your position as [TEACHER TYPE] at [SCHOOL/DISTRICT] in [fill start date from corresponding iteration of employment grid loop]?

[IF NO] PROBE ON DISCREPANCY

BACKGROUND

B12FMARST01

Knowing about family responsibilities can be important in understanding a person’s education and employment history. Please tell us about the [first] change to your marital status since you completed your bachelor’s degree in [DATE].

What was your initial reaction to this question?
In your own words, what is this question telling you to do?

B12FDEPS

One of the goals of this study is to learn about the household characteristics of people after they complete their bachelor’s degree.

Do [you/you and your spouse/you and your partner] have any dependent children? Dependent children do not have to live with you and include any children with whom you [and your spouse/partner] provide 50% or more of their financial support.

What does “dependent children” mean to you in this question? Who should be included or excluded?

B12FRETIR.

Do [you/you or your spouse/you or your partner] have an… IRA, 401(k), 403(b), Pension, None of the above

NOTE ANY ISSUES WITH THIS QUESTION.

END OF THE INTERVIEW:

ASK PHONE OBSERVERS IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE RESPONDENT.

PAY RESPONDENT

Appendix D: Summary of Question Revisions Due to Cognitive Testing

Form Name	Question Wording	Revision
B12AFINCON	Is there another adult in your household with whom you are sharing financial responsibilities and decisions, such as income, bills, and budgeting?	No changes
B12AFINWHO	Which best describes this person?	Changed “friend” to “friend or roommate”
B12AHCOMP	Do you currently live with a… Spouse or partner Children and/or other dependents Parents or in-laws Another person or people not listed (e.g., roommate, etc.) Live alone	Added parenthetical to “Another person or people not listed”
B12AMARR	So we can customize the interview for you, we need to ask a few questions about you and your household.	No changes
B12CAIDEX301	About what percentage of your educational costs for your [DEGREE] at [SCHOOL] were covered by the aid you just mentioned, and what percentage of your educational costs did you pay using your own money?	No changes
B12CALTINC	Think about where--and how much--you would be working right now if you had not enrolled in the 2011-2012 school year. How much do you think you would be earning?	No changes
B12CALTPLN	If you had not attended school in the 2011-2012 school year, would you have... enrolled in a different program? worked for pay? done something else?	Added option for “done something else” and revised wording from “Still attended school at a different program” to “enrolled in a different program”
B12CAPP	Have you applied for admission to any college or graduate school programs since you were last interviewed in[SCHOOL YEAR] ?	No changes
B12CATTD01	Why did you decide to attend [SCHOOL] for your [DEGREE]? Program of study Reputation (of program, faculty, or school) Cost (e.g., affordability, other financial reasons, etc.) Location/convenience (e.g., online classes, etc.) Personal reasons Employer referral Other reasons	Added “employer referral” to the response options. Added “e.g.” to the parenthetical after cost. Added parenthetical to “location/convenience”
B12CCOBEN	Do you think your undergraduate education was worth its financial cost?	New question
B12CDEG01	What degree or certificate were you working on at [SCHOOL]? (You can select only one degree now. You will have an opportunity to tell us about other degrees and certificates later.) Degrees Associate's degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree Doctoral degree--research/scholarship (including the PhD, EdD, or other degrees that require original research or artistic achievement) Doctoral degree--professional practice (including: chiropractic, dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, podiatry, or veterinary medicine) Doctoral degree--other (any doctor's degree that is not research/scholarship or professional practice) Certificates and Diplomas Undergraduate certificate or diploma, including those leading to a license Post-baccalaureate certificate Post-master's certificate	No changes
B12CEDSTRS01	Please compare your stress level while you [are/were] studying for your [DEGREE] at [SCHOOL] to your stress level while not enrolled. Greatly decreased Decreased Neither increased nor decreased Increased Greatly increased	Changed response options from visual analog scale (“slider”) to radio button. Question wording changed from “On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "greatly decreased" and 5 being "greatly increased," how did enrolling in your [DEGREE] program affect the level of stress you experience in everyday life?”
B12CEFUT	On a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being not at all likely and 10 being absolutely certain, how likely do you think it is that you will enroll in another program, degree, or certificate at either the undergraduate or graduate level?	Changed response options from visual analog scale (“slider”) to radio button. Changed “enroll in a graduate school program or enroll for an undergraduate certificate or degree at any time in the future?” to “enroll in another program, degree, or certificate at either the undergraduate or graduate level?”
B12CELNMOS	How much do you typically pay each month on your federal student loans? Please answer based on any federal student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree. If the amount changes, please report the most recent amount. Please provide the amount you pay each month, even if it is different from your minimum monthly payment.	Changed “How much do you typically pay each month on your federal education loans, including Stafford, Graduate PLUS, or Perkins loan? In your answer, please include payments for both undergraduate and graduate loans you may have.” to “How much do you typically pay each month on your federal student loans? Please answer based on any federal student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree.” Changed “(Please provide the amount you pay each month, even if it is different from the amount you are expected to pay each month.)” to “Please provide the amount you pay each month, even if it is different from your minimum monthly payment.”.
B12CELNPLAN	Are your loan payments, for either federal or alternative/private student loans, being paid in whole or part by family or friends? Yes, all Yes, part No	Changed “Are your loan payments, for either federal or private education loans,” to “Are your loan payments, for either federal or alternative/private student loans,” Order of response options reversed
B12CELNSTAT	What is the status of your federal student loans? Are you in repayment or in deferment? Please answer based on any federal student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree. Already paid off Repaying in original payment amount Repaying a different amount due to loan modification, consolidation or extension Repaying through collections after a loan default Temporarily deferring payment because of grace period, deferment, forbearance or some other arrangement. This includes paying interest only. Other status Check here if you did not have any federal student loans	Changed “In deferment due to current enrollment, forbearance, or still in grace” to “Temporarily deferring payment because of grace period, deferment, forbearance or some other arrangement. This includes paying interest only.” Added option for “Already paid off” Added “Check here if you did not have any federal student loans” to response options Changed “Other” to “Other status”
B12CENEMP01	For the period of time you were enrolled at [SCHOOL] for your [DEGREE], about how many hours per week did you work for pay, on average? Please do not include hours worked during periods when you were not enrolled for classes (e.g., summer). If you worked at more than one job, please include the number of hours per week at all jobs combined. 0 hours per week 1-20 hours per week 21-40 hours per week More than 40 hours per week	“(If you worked at more than one job, please include the number of hours per week at all jobs combined. Please exclude summer hours if you were not enrolled during the summer.)” changed to “Please do not …”
B12CENR01	Have you attended any other school besides [SCHOOL] for a degree or certificate program since earning your bachelor's degree at [Y_NPSCHL]?	Changed question wording from “Have you enrolled in a degree or certificate program at any other school besides [SCHOOL] since earning your bachelor's degree at [Y_NPSCHL]?” to “Have you attended any other school besides [SCHOOL] for a degree or certificate program since earning your bachelor's degree at [Y_NPSCHL]?”
B12CENRTDG01	Have you received a master's degree from [SCHOOL] while enrolled in your [DEGREE] program? Answer "no" if you received a master's degree through a separate program for which the ultimate objective was a master's degree.	No changes
B12CENRTMY01	In what month and year did you receive the master's degree that you earned on the way to your [DEGREE]?	No changes
B12CEOUTLN	Please indicate your level of stress regarding your education-related debt. Would you say... Very low Low Moderate High Very high	Changed response options from visual analog scale (“slider”) to radio button.
B12CERN01	Have you completed your program of study and received your [DEGREE] from [SCHOOL]?	No changes
B12CEXMY01	In what month and year do you expect to receive your [DEGREE] from [SCHOOL]?	No changes
B12CFACS	Please indicate how important each of the following factors is to you in choosing a field of graduate-level study. Your level of interest in the field Your aptitude in the field Likelihood of finding a job in the field Earnings potential Ability to contribute to society via the field (e.g., cure or prevent disease, improve education, etc.) Ability to balance work and family	Changed “Ability to be successful in your career and have a family” to “Ability to balance work and family”
B12CFENR01	In what month and year did you first attend [SCHOOL] for your [DEGREE]?	Changed “In what month and year were you first enrolled for your [DEGREE] at [SCHOOL]?” to “In what month and year did you first attend [SCHOOL] for your [DEGREE]?”
B12CFINAIDG01	Now we would like to find out about sources of financing and how you may use them. Please indicate if you use each source for education expenses, living expenses, both education and living expenses, or neither. Federal student loans Alternative or private student loans Grants or scholarships Assistantships or fellowships Federal Work-Study Employer assistance Personal loan or gift Your own money Other	This question replaced B12CFINAID01. Question B12CFINAIDG01 asks respondents to indicate whether they used the funds for “Education expenses only (e.g., tuition, fees, books, etc.)”, “Living expenses only (e.g., rent, food, clothing, etc.)”, “Both education and living expenses”, or “Neither” B12CFINAID01 just asked respondents which type of aid they received
B12CGRE	What graduate or professional entrance exam(s) have you taken in the past 4 years? GRE MCAT LSAT GMAT Other exam(s) None	Changed “Other” to “Other exam(s)”
B12CHRDSHP01	The financial cost of obtaining my [DEGREE] (e.g., tuition, fees, books, lost income because not working or working less, etc.) poses a significant hardship to me. Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agree	Changed “To what extent did the costs for your [DEGREE] pose a hardship to you?” to “The financial cost of obtaining my [DEGREE] (e.g., tuition, fees, books, lost income because not working or working less, etc.) poses a significant hardship to me.” Changed response options from visual analog scale (“slider”) to radio button.
B12CLNTYP	What type of loans did you borrow to help pay for your undergraduate education? Federal student loans (e.g., Stafford, Graduate PLUS, and Perkins) Alternative or private student loans Other types of loans	New item
B12CLNWRTH	Do you consider your undergraduate student loan debt to be a worthwhile investment in your future?	New item added for round 3
B12CMAJ01	What is your primary major or field of study for your [DEGREE] at [SCHOOL]?	Changed allowed answer length
B12CNDGCWK	Since you were last interviewed in 2009, have you attended a college, university, or trade school for any coursework that is not part of a degree or certificate program? Non-degree coursework may be for transfer credit or for recreation or personal enjoyment. Yes Not yet - will attend in the 2012-2013 school year No	Changed “Since completing your bachelor's degree requirements in the 2007-2008 school year (July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008)” to “Since you were last interviewed in 2009” Added response option: “Not yet - will attend in the 2012-2013 school year”
B12CNOATT	Why did you apply for additional education but not attend? Was not accepted Applied, but have not yet received decision Financial reasons (e.g., too expensive, did not receive enough financial aid, etc.) Personal reasons It wasn't the right fit (e.g., school, program, environment, location, etc.) Other reasons	Added “e.g.” and “etc.” to parentheticals in response options Removed parenthetical from personal reasons Changed “It wasn't the right school/program/campus environment/location” to “It wasn't the right fit (e.g., school, program, environment, location, etc.)” Changed “Other” to “Other reasons”
B12CNUMACC01	How many of those schools accepted you (other than [SCHOOL])?	No changes
B12CNUMAPP01	Other than [SCHOOL], how many colleges, universities, and trade schools did you apply to for your [DEGREE]?	No changes
B12COTH01	Other than the [DEGREE] at [SCHOOL] about which you just told us, since earning your bachelor's degree from [Y_NPSCHL], have you attended or do you plan to attend at [SCHOOL] for any additional degrees or certificates? No Yes, attended for a different degree or certificate since earning bachelor's degree Yes, currently attending for an additional degree or certificate Yes, will attend for an additional degree or certificate in the 2012-2013 school year Yes, plan to attend for an additional degree or certificate at some point but after the 2012-2013 school year	Changed “enrolled” to “enroll” to “attended” and “attend” respectively in both the question and the response options
B12CPRIVPMT	How much do you typically pay each month on your alternative or private loans? Please answer based on any alternative or private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree. If the amount changes, please report the most recent amount. Please provide the amount you pay each month, even if it is different from your minimum monthly payment.	Changed from “How much do you typically pay each month on your private education loans, including payments for both undergraduate and graduate loans you may have? If the amount changes, please report the most recent amount. (Please provide the amount you pay each month, even if it is different from the amount you are expected to pay each month.)”
B12CPRIVAMT	How much have you borrowed in alternative or private loans for your education? Please answer based on any alternative or private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor’s degree.	Changed from “How much have you borrowed in alternative or private loans for your education? Please answer based on any private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor’s degree and federal loans for any education since your bachelor’s degree.”
B12CPRIVOWE	Have your alternative or private loans for your education been completely paid off? Please answer based on any alternative or private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree. Yes No	Changed from “Have you paid off all, some, or none of the private loans for your education since earning your bachelor’s degree? All Some None”
B12CPRIVRT	What is the current interest rate on your alternative or private loans? (If you have more than one private loan, enter the highest rate.) Please answer based on any alternative or private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree.	Changed from “What is the current interest rate on your private student loan(s)? (If you have more than one private loan, enter the highest rate.)”
B12CPRIVSTAT	What is the status of your alternative or private loans? Are you in repayment? Please answer based on any alternative or private student loans you have, including loans for your bachelor's degree and for any education since your bachelor's degree. Repaying the original payment amount Repaying a different payment amount due to loan modification, consolidation or extension Repaying through collections after a loan delinquency or default Some alternative or private loans have been paid off but I am still repaying others Temporarily deferring payment because of grace period, deferment, forbearance or some other arrangement. This includes paying interest only. Other status	Changed from “What is the status of your private student loans? Are you in repayment or in deferment? Repaying in original payment amount Repaying a different payment amount due to loan modification, consolidation or extension Repaying through collections after a loan default Some private loans have been paid off but I am still repaying others Temporarily deferring payment (including paying interest only) Other”
B12CPSTGRD	Have you attended a college, university, or trade school for an additional degree or certificate—including enrollment for a professional or graduate degree, an additional undergraduate degree, or a certificate program—since completing your bachelor's degree requirements at [Y_NPSCHL]? Please only include schools in which you attended after the completion of your bachelor's degree requirements. Do not include professional certificates such as those earned through a week-long training course.	Changed from “Have you enrolled in any school for an additional degree or certificate —including enrollment for a graduate degree, an additional undergraduate degree, or a certificate program—since completing your bachelor's degree requirements at [Y_NPSCHL]? (If you have been accepted to a school for a degree or certificate program and will be enrolled in the 2012-2013 school year, also indicate "yes." Please only include schools in which you were enrolled after the completion of your bachelor's degree requirements.)”
B12CRSCWK	Why did you decide to take non-degree coursework? Needed for long-term career goals Needed for current employment Needed for long-term educational goals Needed for prerequisite requirements Desired for personal enrichment Other reason not listed	New response options added “ Needed for long-term educational goals” and “Needed for prerequisite requirements”
B12CSCH01	What is the name of that school?	Asked after B12CPSTGRD No changes
B12CUGLN	Other than money you may have borrowed from family or friends, did you take out any type of student loans to help pay for your undergraduate education?	New item
B12DAVGDUT01	We're interested in the job duties of those who majored in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). Do you do any of the following in an average day at this job? Oversee the administrative or budgetary decisions of a department or division Oversee staff in the design, planning, or execution of quantitative research Oversee staff in the development or design of software Analyze or assist in analyzing quantitative data Write or assist in writing technical reports Write or assist in writing articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals Write programs as part of the software development process Conduct research or experiments in a laboratory setting Conduct research or experiments in the field (e.g., zoologist or marine biologist) Develop or design computer hardware	Stem changed from “Do you do any of the following in an average day at this job?” “i.e.” changed to “e.g.” in response option
B12DBEN01	For this job, please indicate which of the following benefits your employer offered you, even if you did not use the benefit. (Benefits are a type of non-monetary employee compensation provided in addition to salary.) Health/dental/vision insurance Retirement benefits (e.g., 401K, pension) Paid vacation or holidays Paid sick leave Paid family leave Unpaid leave (beyond job-secured FMLA) FMLA (federally ensured, unpaid, job-secured leave) Tuition remission or reimbursement benefits Other benefits not listed	“even if you did not use the benefit.” Added to stem as well as explanatory parenthetical. “Unpaid family leave” option split into two options referencing FMLA
B12DBENANY01	Excluding salary, hourly pay, bonuses, tips, etc. does your employer offer you any other benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid vacation or holidays, etc.?	Added for second round of cognitive testing. “such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid vacation or holidays, etc.?” added to question stem
B12DCHNG01	Why are you no longer working for [EMPLOYER]? Wanted to change career Obtained or wanted a different job in the same career Laid off/fired/did not accept transfer/contract not renewed Wanted to go to school No longer needed the job Left to care for children Left for other family reasons Health reasons Other	Added for second round of cognitive testing Response options revised from Involuntarily transferred and did not want offered assignment Laid off as part of reduction in force Contract not renewed Left for personal reasons Left because salary and/or benefits were inadequate Left because dissatisfied with workplace conditions Left because dissatisfied with career or wanted to pursue another career Left to return to school Left for other reasons
B12DCOMTIM01	On an average day, how much time does it take you to get to work? 15 minutes or less 16-30 minutes 31-45 minutes 46-60 minutes More than 1 hour	No changes
B12DCURJOB01	Since this job is not the start of your career, how would you describe it? Working to obtain job experience Working to receive benefits Working to pay the bills (e.g., best job available) Working to prepare for future education Job while pursuing other interests Working while exploring future education and/or career options Other description	Response options revised from Exploring career options Continuing in job held before leaving [Y_NPSCHL] Just paying the bills (or only job available) Working to prepare for further education Job while in school Job while pursuing other interests Working while deciding on future education/career Other
B12DCURL01	Do you consider this job to be part of a career you are pursuing in your occupation or industry?	No changes
B12DEMPINT	In the next set of items, we’d like to ask you about your employment since earning your bachelor’s degree from [Y_NPSCHL] in the 2007-2008 school year. Please be sure to tell us about all employers that you worked for after college, even if you started working there before you graduated. Please provide information about your employers in order, beginning with the first employer you were working for after you earned your bachelor's degree.	Instructions clarifying employer vs. job added for the third round.
B12DEMPLOY01	X	X
B12DEMPLOY201	X	X
B12DEMPOTH	According to the employment information that you have provided, it does not appear you are currently working for pay. Are you... Traveling (trip longer than two weeks)? A full-time homemaker Volunteering or participating in an unpaid internship? Holding a job but waiting to report to work or on temporary leave or temporary layoff from work? Unable to work because of a disability?	Question stem expanded from “Are you currently...” “Volunteering full-time” changed to “Volunteering or participating in an unpaid internship?”
B12DEMPTYP01	In this job, what type of company or organization do you work for? Is it... A for-profit company A nonprofit organization A local, state, or federal government (including public schools and universities) The military (including civilian employees of the military) Other	“The school where you are currently enrolled as a student” deleted as a response option “(including public schools and universities)” added to “A local, state, or federal government”
B12DIMPBEN	Please indicate how important each of the following benefits are to you when choosing a job. Wages and bonuses Promotion opportunities Commute (e.g., time, hassle) Making your own decisions about how to get your work done	Visual analog scale (“slider”) changed to radio buttons “Compensation (salary or wages)” changed to “Wages and bonuses” “Flexibility in job duties” changed to “Making your own decisions about how to get your work done”
B12DIMPBEN2	Again, please indicate how important each of the following benefits are to you when choosing a job. Employer-subsidized daycare Work that's directly related to your field of study Employer-provided health insurance Retirement benefits (e.g., 401k, pension, etc.)	Visual analog scale (“slider”) changed to radio buttons
B12DINDCD01	INDUSTRY CODER	Expanded to two forms. One for coder and one for text entry.
B12DINDTX01	How would you describe your employer's business or industry?	Text revised from “What is your employer's primary business or industry?”
B12DJOBSAT01 (B12DX3JSAT01)	Please indicate how satisfied you are with each of the following areas in this job: Compensation (pay and fringe benefits)? Importance of your work? Challenge of your work? Job security? Balancing work and family obligations?	Visual analog scale (“slider”) changed to radio buttons “Balancing work and family obligations?” Added to response options
B12DLICFILT	Earlier you mentioned earning a certificate or diploma. Is it... An industry certification or occupational license? A vocational or technical certificate or diploma?	No changes
B12DLICOBT	Was this license or certification issued by a state, industry, a company, a professional association, or some other organization? State Industry Company Professional association Other	Question added for second round of cognitive testing. “Mark all that apply” deleted from question
B12DLKWRK	Since your graduation in [Y_BB09AWRDM] [Y_BB09AWRDY] from [Y_NPSCHL], please indicate which months you were actively looking for work, including looking for a different or additional job. (Months in bold text indicate months you reported working.)	Forme revised to highlight months respondent was working
B12DNSF18B01	What kind of degree is required to complete the duties for this job with [EMPLOYER]? Engineering, computer science, math, or the natural sciences BA or higher Social sciences BA or higher Other specified BA or higher (e.g., health, business, or education, etc.) Unspecified BA or higher (e.g., no preference on BA field)	Added for round 3 of cognitive testing Stem revised from “Did your duties in this job require the technical expertise of a bachelor’s degree or higher in…” Response options revised from to include “BA or higher” “Unspecified BA …” added to response options
B12DNSF19B01	Would you say the skills required for this job are closely related, somewhat related, or not related to the skills you obtained in your bachelor's degree program at [SCHOOL]? Closely related Somewhat related Not related	No changes
B12DNSF20B	Please indicate whether each of the following factors influenced your decision to work in an area outside of your [Y_NPSCHOOL] bachelor's degree field... Pay, promotion opportunities Working conditions (e.g., hours, equipment, working environment, etc.) Job location Change in career or professional interests Family-related reasons (e.g., children, spouse's job moved, etc.) Job in [Y_NPSCHOOL] bachelor's degree field not available Flexibility and benefits at this job fit my needs (e.g., allows me to be enrolled, care for family members, etc.) Other factor(s) not listed	“For example” replaced with “e.g.” in response options
B12DNSF20B01	Would you say the skills required for this job are closely related, somewhat related, or not related to the skills you obtained in your most recent post-baccalaureate degree or certificate program [DEGREE]?	Added for round 3 of cognitive testing “post-BA degree” revised to “post-baccalaureate degree or certificate”
B12DNSF21B	Which of the following was your most important reason for working in an area outside of your bachelor's degree field?	No changes
B12DNW01	From the employment dates you gave, it appears that you were not working from [month/year01] through [month/year02]. What were you doing during this time? Were you... Looking for work Taking a break from work Enrolled in school Not working due to personal health issues (e.g., disabled) Caring for children Caring for other family members Other reasons?	New question
B12DOCC01	OCCUPATION CODER	Number of characters in text box entry increased
B12DOTHJOB01	Aside from the employers(s) you just told us about, have you worked for any other employers (including a different period of employment with an employer you have already told us about) since earning your bachelor’s degree?	Question text revised to ask about “employer(s)” instead of “job(s)” Original text: “Aside from the job(s) you just told us about, have you had any other jobs (including a different job with the same employer) since earning your bachelor’s degree?”
B12DOVTIM01	Do you earn any overtime pay, commission, or bonuses in this job?	No changes
B12DPREFT01	Earlier you told us that you work about [#HOURS] hours per week in this job. Would you prefer to work more hours than you do?	No changes
B12DSALEXP	During the time that you were applying for jobs prior to accepting your current position, what sources of information did you use to guide your salary expectations? Friends or acquaintances inside the industry Friends or acquaintances outside of the industry Official government statistics Salary ranges listed in the job postings Salary and job websites (e.g., CareerBuilder.com, LinkedIn.com, Salary.com, etc.) Other source	“Salary information websites like salary.com” changed to “Salary and job websites (e.g., CareerBuilder.com, LinkedIn.com, Salary.com, etc.)”
B12DSALREL	How reliable did you find the salary information you obtained from this source to be?	No changes
B12DSEARCH	Are you currently looking for a different job? (Indicate "yes" if you are looking for full-time, part-time, or graduate school jobs such as assistantships and fellowships.)	No changes
B12DWHY01	Why did you work fewer than 35 hours per week? Working while enrolled in school Family responsibilities Full-time job not available Held more than one job Did not need or want to work more hours Other	Added for round 3 of cognitive testing “Student” changed to “Working while enrolled in school”
B12DWRKS	Since you are currently enrolled as a student and also working, would you say you are primarily... A student working to meet expenses, or An employee who decided to enroll in school	No changes
B12DSPPSUP01 (B12DX3SPSP01)	Please indicate how supportive your spouse is of this job.	Visual analog scale (“slider”) changed to radio buttons
B12EALTCRT	Did you enter teaching through an alternative route to certification? (An example is Teach for America, which is a program designed to expedite the transition of non-teachers to a teaching career.)	Parenthetical changed from “(An example of an alternative route is Teach for America. This program was designed to expedite the transition of non-teachers to a teaching career, for example, a state, district, or university alternative route to certification.)”
B12ECRTDT	In what month and year were you first certified to teach? (Provide your best estimate of the date if you are unsure.)	No changes
B12ECRTFLD	In what subject area(s) are you currently certified to teach? Elementary education (general curriculum in elementary or middle grades) Special education Arts and music English or language arts English as a second language (ESL) Foreign languages Health, physical education Mathematics or computer science Natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry) Social sciences Vocational, career, or technical education General education in middle or secondary grades Miscellaneous (driver education, humanities or liberal studies, library or information science, military science or ROTC, philosophy, religious studies, theology, or divinity) Other subject area	“Secondary education” changed to “General education in middle or secondary grades” “(e.g., biology, chemistry)” added to “Natural sciences”
B12ECRTTYP	What type of teacher certificate do you hold? Regular certificate Certificate requiring additional steps before full certification (e.g., temporary or probationary certificate)	Response options condensed from Regular/standard state certificate or advanced professional certificate Certificate issued after satisfying all requirements except a probationary period Certificate that requires additional courses, student teaching, or passing a test before obtaining regular certification Certificate issued to persons who must complete a certification program in order to continue teaching Other type of teacher certification
B12ECURCRT	Are you currently certified to teach at the K-12 level?	No changes
B12EEVRTCH	Have you worked as a regular classroom teacher, itinerant teacher, support teacher, teacher's aide, substitute teacher, or student teacher at the K-12 level since you were last interviewed in 2009?	Changed from “Have you worked as a teacher at the K-12 level since graduating from [SCHOOL]? (Indicate "Yes" if you have held a teaching position, including any type of substitute teacher, teacher's aide, student teaching, itinerant, or regular classroom teaching position at the K-12 level.)”
B12EJBED01	In what month and year did you leave your position as [TEACHER TYPE] for [SCHOOL/DISTRICT NAME]?	Combined school name and district name into one fill
B12EJBFD01	What subjects do you teach? Elementary education (general curriculum in elementary or middle grades) Special education Arts and music English or language arts English as a second language (ESL) Foreign languages Health, physical education Mathematics or computer science Natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry) Social sciences Vocational, career, or technical education General education in middle or secondary grades Miscellaneous (e.g., driver education, humanities or liberal studies, library or information science, military science or ROTC, philosophy, religious studies, theology, or divinity) Other subject	“Secondary education” changed to “General education in middle or secondary grades” “(e.g., biology, chemistry)” added to “Natural sciences”
B12EJBFP01	How many hours per week did you work in your position as [TEACHER TYPE] for [SCHOOL/DISTRICT NAME]?	Combined school name and district name into one fill
B12EJBGR01	What are the lowest and highest grades that you teach? Kindergarten First grade … Twelfth grade Ungraded	No changes
B12EJBMY01	In what month and year did you begin this position as [TEACHER TYPE] at [SCHOOL?DISTRICT NAME]?	Combined school name and district name into one fill
B12EJBSC01	Do you work for a public or private school? Public (including charter and magnet schools) Private	Response options condensed from Public Private Charter or Magnet Neither public nor private
B12EJBSL01	What is the name of the school, and in what city and state is it located?	No changes
B12EJBTP01	What type of K-12 teaching position did you have when you first started working as a teacher after graduating from [Y_NPSCHL] in [YEAR]? Regular classroom teacher (full- or part-time) Substitute, short-term Substitute, long-term Teacher's aide Support teacher Student teacher Itinerant teacher Other teaching position	Response options changed from Regular, full- or part-time, elementary or secondary school teacher Itinerant teacher Support teacher Teacher's aide Short-term substitute Long-term substitute Student teacher Other teaching position
B12EJBVER01	If your teaching position was one of the jobs you told us about earlier, please select it from the list below.	No changes
B12ELNINCT	Did knowing about a teacher loan forgiveness program influence you to prepare to become a teacher?	No changes
B12ELNPRT	Have you participated in a loan forgiveness program for teachers?	No changes
B12ELPINTRO	In the next set of items, we’d like to ask you about all K-12 teaching positions you have held since graduating from [Y_NPSCHL] in [YEAR]. In this section, your number of teaching positions is based on the number of teaching roles in which you have served and number of the schools at which you have worked. For example, someone who has worked as a regular classroom teacher at two different schools would report two teaching positions. Someone who has worked as a student teacher and a regular classroom teacher at the same school would also report two teaching positions.	Added for second round
B12ELVR01	Why did you leave [SCHOOL DISTRICT/SCHOOL NAME] to become [TEACHER TYPE] somewhere else? Dissatisfied with workplace conditions (e.g., grade level or subject area, facilities, classroom resources, school safety, student discipline, administration, etc.) Personal life reasons (e.g., health reasons, to care for child(ren), time to retire, change in residence, etc.) Laid off or involuntarily transferred Salary and/or benefits were inadequate Other reason(s)	“For example” replaced with “e.g.” and “etc.” added to parentheticals
B12EMOVE	How likely do you think it is that you will move into a non-teaching job in elementary or secondary education (e.g., administrator or school counselor)? Not at all likely Somewhat likely Likely Very likely	Scale changed from visual analog scale (“slider”) to four-point radio button
B12EMYVER01	Did you begin your position as [TEACHER TYPE] at [SCHOOL DISTRICT/SCHOOL NAME] in?	Changed from “Is this the month and year in which you began this position as [TEACHER TYPE]?”
B12ETCHGRT	Have you heard of the TEACH Grant Program?	No changes
B12ETCHLEV	Why did you leave teaching? Other reason(s) Salary and/or benefits were inadequate Laid off Dissatisfied with workplace conditions (e.g., grade level or subject area, facilities, classroom resources, school safety, student discipline, administration, etc.) Personal life reasons (e.g., health reasons, to care for child(ren), time to retire, change in residence, etc.) Dissatisfied with teaching as a career or wanted to pursue another career Involuntarily transferred Return to school	“For example” replaced with “e.g.”
B12ETCHSAT	In your current teaching position, are you satisfied with each of the following... Your relationships with supervisors? Class size(s)? Your relationships with colleagues? Student discipline and behavior? The support you receive from administrators? Your effectiveness as a teacher? The support you receive from students' parents?	No changes
B12ETCHTHNK	Before you became a teacher, what sources of information informed your thinking about whether to pursue a teaching career? Your family, friends, or K-12 teachers Federal, state, or district education departments Universities or schools of education News media (e.g., magazines, etc.) Organizations focused on recruiting teachers Other sources	Response options changed from Family/friends' experiences Federal/state/district education departments Other agencies, universities/schools of education News media, magazines Organizations focused on recruiting teachers Other
B12ETHNKINFL	Before you became a teacher, did each of the following factors have a negative influence, no influence, or a positive influence on your thinking about whether to pursue a teaching career? Financial compensation Prestige of occupation Working with kids Opportunity to contribute to society Teacher accountability for student achievement Teachers' working conditions Possibilities for career advancement Loan forgiveness or other financial incentives to teach in a high-need subject (e.g., science/math) or in a high-need location (e.g., poor urban schools)	“Wanting to work with kids” changed to “working with kids” Question revised by combining B12ETHININFL and B12ETHNKINNG positive and negative influences respectively and asking “negative influence”, “no influence”, or ”positive influence” in one question
B12FAMTRET	Did you make a contribution in the past 12 months to your... IRA 401(k) 403(b) Pension Other retirement savings account	Question revised from “About how much would you estimate [you/you and your spouse/you and your partner] have saved in your retirement account(s)?”
B12FCARAMT	What is the total amount you pay each month for your vehicle loan(s) or lease(s)?	“ (car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle)?” moved to help text and “other” replaced with “etc.” “If someone makes vehicle loan or lease payments on your behalf” revised and moved to help text
B12FMOMED/DADED	What is the highest level of education your father (or male guardian) completed? Did not complete high school High school diploma or equivalent Vocational/technical training Less than 2 years of college Associate's degree 2 or more years of college but no degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree or equivalent Professional degree (chiropractic, dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, podiatry, or veterinary medicine) Doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, etc.) Don't know	“female guardian” and “male guardian” moved to parentheses Examples added to “professional degree”
B12FDEPDOB	Please provide the date of birth for each of your dependent children. If any of your dependent children became financially dependent on you at a time other than their date of birth, please provide the month and year that they became your dependent.	Question revised to allow respondent to indicate “Date of birth” and “Date dependent child became financially dependent” as opposed to “date of birth” or “adoption date”
B12FDEPS	One of the goals of this study is to learn about the household characteristics of people after they earn a bachelor's degree. Do you have any dependent children? Dependent children do not have to live with you and include any children for whom you provide 50% or more of their financial support.	This question was split into two questions> B12FDEPS asks about dependent children and a new question, B12FOTHER, asks about other dependents
B12FHOUSE	Do you own a home or pay rent? (If someone makes housing payments on your behalf, please answer, "Neither own home(s) nor pay rent.") Own home(s) and pay mortgage Own home(s) outright Pay rent Both own home(s) and pay rent Neither own home(s) nor pay rent	Question stem revised to exclude “or both own a home and pay rent” and Parenthetical added
B12FHS	What is the name of the high school from which you graduated?	No changes
B12FINCOM	What was your income for calendar year 2011, prior to taxes and deductions? (Calendar year 2011 includes January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. Include all income you paid taxes on, including work, investment income, or alimony. Do not include any grants or loans you may have used to pay for school, or any money given to you by your family.) (If you are unsure of the exact amount, provide your best estimate.)	“From all sources” removed from stem and parentheticals defining income and calendar year combined
B12FINCSP	How much would you estimate your partner earned from all sources, including income from work, investments, alimony, etc., prior to taxes and deductions, in calendar year 2011 (January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011)?	No changes
B12FLANGS	Which second language do you know best? (Choose the second language you know best from the dropdown list below. If you consider yourself to have more than one second language, choose one of these languages.)	No changes
B12FLNGCAR	Do you currently use [LANGUAGE] in your career?	No changes
B12FLNGPLAN	Do you plan to use [LANGUAGE] in your career?	No changes
B12FMARST01	Knowing about family responsibilities can be important in understanding a person's education and employment history. Please tell us about the first change to your marital status since you completed your bachelor's degree in [B12AAWRDMM] [B12AAWRDYY].	New question
B12FMTGAMT	How much (on average) is your total monthly housing payment (including both rent and mortgage payments)? Please indicate only the amount that you are responsible for paying. If you do not have a monthly housing payment or someone else pays your monthly housing payment on your behalf, please indicate "0".	“rent or mortgage” changed to “monthly housing”
B12FOTLANG	Do you know any other languages?	“or have you ever taken classes in a foreign language” deleted from stem
B12FPAROCC1/2	What was your mother's (or female guardian) primary job title and main duties while you were in high school? (If she was unemployed, retired, or deceased when you were in high school, please respond with her primary occupation when she was last employed.)	These two questions were made gender specific: PARROCC1: female and PAROCC2: male
B12FRETIR	Now we have some questions for you about your general financial situation. This information is important to understanding how individuals with a bachelor's degree have transitioned into life outside of college. Do you have an... IRA 401(k) 403(b) Pension Other retirement savings account	Question changed from “Do [you/you and your spouse/you and your partner] have a retirement fund such as an IRA, 403b, 401k, or pension plan?”
B12FSELLPO	Suppose you were to sell all your major possessions, turn all of your investments and other assets into cash, and pay off all your debts. Would you have something leftover, break even, or be in debt?	No changes
B12FSPAMT	What is the total amount your partner has borrowed in student loans? (If you are unsure of the amount, please provide your best estimate.)	No changes
B12FSPCOL	Did your partner attend college or graduate school during the 2011-2012 school year? Yes, full time Yes, part time No	No changes
B12FSTRESS	During the past 12 months, has there been a time when you did not meet all of your essential expenses, such as mortgage or rent payments, utility bills, or important medical care?	Question stem revised from “In the last 12 months, was there a time when, due to financial difficulty, you...” Response options eliminated and replaced with single response option: yes/no
B12FVLHRS	About how many hours did you volunteer during the last year?	“On average” replaced with “About”

File Type	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
File Title	Month 200X
Author	Charles Q. Strohm
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	2021-01-30