The Higher Education Amendment of 1968 provided for support services on college and university campuses to facilitate the progress of disadvantaged young people (from families within the national poverty criteria or the physically handicapped). Three years later an evaluation of the special service programs (typically including specially staffed activities such as counseling, tutoring, remedial study, and ethnic identity activities) was conducted to determine effects of students' progress, satisfaction, and perceptions. Methodology included review of the literature, census of institutions, and collection of questionnaire and interview data from program directors and students. The interview data was obtained from a national sample selected from the 190 projects, involving more than 50,000 students, which were in operation in the 1971-72 school year. Major conclusions are there is no evidence that availability of or participation in support services systematically improves performance and satisfaction with college over that which may be expected from previous academic performance; institutional differences account more for differences in disadvantaged student success and satisfaction than do supporting services; in understanding behavior and attitude, race is more critical than poverty or physical handicaps; and forces to equalize opportunity seem to be working better for poor whites and blacks than for poor Orientals, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Native Americans, or other ethnic minorities. (JT)