An analysis of 12,000 1982 high school graduates' transcripts, as part of a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, substantiates the National Commission on Excellence in Education's (NCEE) concern about students' insufficient coursework in the new basics: English, mathematics, science, social studies, and computer science. An analysis of who earns how many credits in the new basics reveals substantial differences among subgroups defined by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, high school program, type of school attended, and geographical region. Analysis presented in this bulletin has three parts: (1) an examination of course distribution taken in the new basics, with a focus on number of additional credits needed by some students to meet NCEE standards; (2) a description of the number of credits earned by grade level; and (3) a comparison of credits earned among students with different backgrounds. Six tables and figures are included. (JMK)