Women who had been out of the educational system for some time and who had returned to a variety of college situations were interviewed in depth regarding their reasons for returning and the degree to which the colleges were meeting their needs as returning students. From the interview data, discussions with women's reentry program staff, and a review of the literature, a number of common problems and needs were identified and a questionnaire was designed to gather preliminary information on the status of women who return to school. A total of 124 women enrolled in women's reentry program classes at five community colleges in the Southern San Francisco Bay area were surveyed. Most of the women (64%) were married, in their thirties (the median age was 36.5), and had returned to school for intellectual stimulation or to receive job training. Significant differences were found in the areas of reasons for returning and income between women who were married and those who were heads of households. Almost all of the women felt that the reentry program was helpful in facilitating their return to school. Women were aware of some of the services their program offered, but not of important others, for example, financial aid. Future directions for research and policy implications of the data are discussed. The survey instrument and a bibliography are appended. (Author/MB)