THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTONOMY IN COLLEGE STUDENTS IS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMOTIONAL AND INSTRUMENTAL INDEPENDENCE AND THE RECOGNITION OF INTERDEPENDENCE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMOTIONAL INDEPENDENCE INVOLVES DISENGAGEMENT FROM, AND REBELLIOUS FEELINGS TOWARD AUTHORITY FIGURES AND LEADS TO MATURITY WITH RECIPROCAL RESPECT FOR ADULTS AND RECOGNITION OF WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS IN THE SELF AND OTHERS. INSTRUMENTAL INDEPENDENCE CONSISTS OF THE ABILITY TO BE MOBILE AND CARRY ON ACTIVITIES INDEPENDENTLY. SUCH DEVELOPMENT IN THE COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT IS INFLUENCED BY TEACHING PRACTICES AND OBJECTIVES, CURRICULAR FLEXIBILITY, OFF- AND ON-CAMPUS EXPERIENCES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH OLDER PERSONS. EXCERPTS FROM SELF-EVALUATIONS WRITTEN OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD BY A COLLEGE GIRL ARE PRESENTED FOR ILLUSTRATION AND INTERPRETATION. DATA RELATED TO STUDENT DEVELOPMENT IS ANALYZED. TO EVALUATE EMOTIONAL INDEPENDENCE, STUDENTS FROM EIGHT COLLEGES WERE ADMINISTERED, IN THEIR FIRST AND FOURTH YEAR, SIX SCALES FROM THE OMNIBUS PERSONALITY INVENTORY AND THREE SCALES FROM THE STERN ACTIVITIES INDEX. INSTRUMENTAL INDEPENDENCE WAS EVALUATED AT VARIOUS PERIODS DURING THE FOUR YEARS, USING FACULTY RATINGS OF SEMESTER RECORDS BASED UPON A PREPARED FRAMEWORK. THE FACULTY ALSO RATED STUDENTS ON FOUR QUESTIONS RELATED TO RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTANCE OF INTERDEPENDENCE. (PS)