Evaluation through follow-up

The first cohort comprises a nationally representative sample of pupils consisting of those born on the 5th, 15th or 25th of any month in 1948. The material covers some 12 000 pupils. The collection of the data was commenced when the majority of the pupils were in Grade VI (aged about 12), that is to say in 1960/61. The data kept in the register may be said to be of two types: I) Background data were collected in the spring of 1961. On this occasion the Department of Pedagogics at Göteborg University collected particulars of the results of certain intelligence tests and of national standardised school tests, as well as replies to questionnaires about the pupils' leisure-time interests, future plans, and about the attitude of the pupils and their families to school and school work. At the same time Statistics Sweden (SCB) collected particulars on the father's/mother's occupation/education, the number of their brothers and sisters and the distance travelled by them between home and school. 2) Annual data (