MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY WERE (1) TO COMPARE ENTERING FRESHMAN STUDENTS AT DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLEGES (THAT IS, UNIVERSITIES, LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES, STATE COLLEGES, TEACHERS COLLEGES, AND JUNIOR COLLEGES) ON ABILITY, HIGH SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT, CULTURAL STATUS, ECONOMIC STATUS, AND PERSONALITY FACTORS, (2) TO COMPARE, BY TYPE OF COLLEGE ATTENDED, THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS MATCHED ON ABILITY, SOCIOECONOMIC, AND PERSONALITY FACTORS, AND (3) TO PREDICT COLLEGE GRADES BY USING SOCIOECONOMIC CLASSIFICATION AND PERSONALITY INDEXES IN CONJUNCTION WITH ABILITY AND ACHIEVEMENT FACTORS, AND TO ASCERTAIN THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF THESE FACTORS AT THE DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONAL TYPES. EACH OF APPROXIMATELY 570 HIGH SCHOOLS (BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE) AGREED TO HAVE ITS SENIOR CLASS COMPLETE A QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNED TO RELATE SPECIFIC BACKGROUND FACTORS TO POST-HIGH SCHOOL PLANS. SIMILAR DATA WERE GATHERED ON FRESHMAN STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ALL THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. (JH)