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Welcome to the website of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), one of the most extensive and successful studies ever conducted in the social sciences. The WLS is a long-term study of a random sample of 10,317 people who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957. We’ve expanded the panel by also interviewing one sibling of the graduate and when available the graduate’s spouse and sibling’s spouse. The WLS provides an opportunity to study the life course, intergenerational transfers and relationships, family functioning, physical and mental health and well-being, and morbidity and mortality from late adolescence through 2011. WLS data also cover social background, youthful aspirations, schooling, military service, labor market experiences, family characteristics and events, social participation, psychological characteristics, and retirement.

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