This manual has been produced to familiarize data users with the procedures followed for data collection and processing of the first follow-up component of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). A corollary objective is to provide the necessary documentation for use of the data file. Use of the data set does not require the analyst to be a statistician or a sophisticated computer programmer. Chapter 6 and Appendix C, in particular, contain essential information that allows the user to immediately proceed with minimal startup cost. The rest of the manual provides a wide range of information on a variety of topics related to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the NELS:88. Chapter 1 contains an overview of the study, while Chapter 2 contains a general description of data collection instruments. The sample design and weighting procedures are discussed in Chapter 3 and data collection procedures, schedules, and results are described in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 describes data preparation and processing. Chapter 6 is a guide to the data files and the codebook. The appendices contain: (1) a list of other NCES publications; (2) guidelines for Statistical Analysis System (SAS) users; (3) the school administrator questionnaire; (4) the record layout for the school questionnaire; (5) specifications for the composite variables; and (6) a codebook. (SLD)