Issues of postsecondary education access and attainment have a direct impact on individuals' social and economic mobility, the labor market, and the nation's ability to stay globally competitive. Sample surveys--cross-sectional or longitudinal surveys of a subpopulation of individuals--on precollege experiences and preparation, postsecondary enrollment and persistence, and workforce transitions are relevant to across federal agencies, many of which rely on these data to inform policy and planning decisions. The National Postsecondary Education Cooperative--Sample Surveys (NPEC-S) commissioned this paper to provide a holistic view of the policy questions guiding existing federally funded sample surveys on postsecondary activity, assess where their survey components align and vary, and determine whether they overlook some aspects and outcomes of the postsecondary education experience. This report adds to the existing postsecondary data literature by examining efforts of existing federal sample surveys with education components, the policy questions they address or overlook, and in what ways they overlap or vary in purpose and data collected.