Factors that affect the decision of a high school senior to attend or not to attend college were studied, using a path analysis model. Data were drawn from the 1980 High School and Beyond national survey of 58,000 high school sophomores and seniors, which was sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics. The study sample was 14,287, or 52 percent of the High School and Beyond seniors. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and eight multiple regression analyses were performed. Four important predictors of college attendance plans were found: socioeconomic status, high school grades, academic ability, and race. The two most important predictors were grades and ability; socioeconomic status was found to have an indirect effect through its influence on grades and ability. A nonwhite student was more likely to plan to attend college than a white student with similar grades, ability, and socioeconomic status. Initially, the theoretical model included the variables of father's and mother's education, family income, and sex. However, father's and mother's education and family income were found to be a part of the socioeconomic status composite. (SW)