This paper addresses developmental education programs as mechanisms for enhancing the survival rates of disadvantaged populations in higher education. Specifically, the paper identifies and discusses the critical dimensions of effective developmental education programs, including recruitment, admissions, diagnosis and prescription, orientation, special coursework, student financial aid, tutoring, counseling, and evaluation. The recommended guidelines will prove useful to education planners in mapping out the criteria for developing and improving programs designed to assist disadvantaged students not only in adjusting to the college environment, but also in persisting through graduate and postgraduate education. Recommendations for administration, staffing, facilities, and budget planning are included. A selected bibliography is appended. (Author/BE)