This report describes the methods and procedures used in the 2004/09 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09). These students, who started their postsecondary education during the 2003-04 academic year, were first interviewed as part of the 2004 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04). BPS:04/09 is the second and final follow-up interview of this cohort. This report provides the methodology and outcomes of the BPS:04/09 student interview data collection, transcript data collection, and administrative records matching. The BPS study is unique in that it includes both traditional and nontraditional students, follows their paths through postsecondary education over the course of 6 years, and is not limited to enrollment at a single institution. For the first time in BPS, transcripts were collected from all of the postsecondary institutions attended by the sample. Together, the student interview and transcript data collections represent a significant and rich data source on this cohort of first-time beginning students.
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