National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS)¶
Product or Programme · All products and programmes
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 associational),q2· 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study
Description¶
A nationally representative longitudinal education dataset collected and maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics, tracking students from eighth grade through postsecondary outcomes.
Components¶
- National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS) dataset: NELS is a nationally representative longitudinal dataset tracking students from their 8th-grade year in 1988 through 2000, including recorded postsecondary outcomes and thousands of student survey items. Baseline data were collected on 12,144 students, of whom 9,601 (79 percent) attended college and roughly 8,800 persisted for a semester. The author chose NELS over the more recent ELS because it includes a broader range of student survey items, and used 8th- and 10th-grade measures to predict college readiness. (James Soland (2017))
- National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) student and teacher surveys as the data source for competency-outcome analyses: The National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) surveys of students and teachers supply the competency indicators and outcome data for this report. The report states: "Drawing on the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) surveys of students and teachers, we analyze how postsecondary earnings and the likelihood of attending and completing a postsecondary education program are related to several competencies." Competency indicators include math skills, work habits, leadership skills, teamwork and other sports-related skills, and locus of control. (John Deke (2006))
Claims¶
- Using a flexible functional form, the estimated benefit of improving a competency depends on a student's existing strengths and weaknesses in other competencies [+W]
- NELS indicators of math skills, work habits, leadership, teamwork and sports-related skills, and locus of control are related to postsecondary earnings and to the likelihood of attending and completing postsecondary education [+W]
Related Products and Programmes¶
Key Sources¶
- James Soland. (2017). Combining Academic, Noncognitive, and College Knowledge Measures to Identify Students Not on Track For College: A Data-Driven Approach. Research & Practice in Assessment, Volume Twelve, Summer 2017. https://rpajournal.com
- John Deke, Joshua Haimson. (2006). Valuing Student Competencies: Which Ones Predict Postsecondary Educational Attainment and Earnings, and for Whom? Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/valuing-student-competencies-which-ones-predict-postsecondary-educational-attainment-and-earnings-and-for-whom
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
product |
id |
national-education-longitudinal-survey-nels |
title |
National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS) |
description |
A nationally representative longitudinal education dataset collected and maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics, tracking students from eighth grade through postsecondary outcomes. |
status |
review |
moved_from |
element/nels-surveys-competency-outcome-data |
product_kind |
dataset |
generated |
by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-09 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — john-deke-2006 |
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