The importance of role models for women achieving career success has received increased attention; however, there has been little agreement on a definition of the concept. To determine who college women say their role models are and to determine developmental discontinuities in women's reports of their role models, 377 college women completed two open-ended questionnaires. Analyses of results showed that women's role model choices could be coded into 18 categories. Women predominantly named cross-sex relatives, instructors, and professionals as their role models and models they would like to have in the future. More male models were named when women described themselves currently, rather than when they were younger. Personality characteristics used to describe role models were"masculine" in nature, centering around traits of competence, intelligence, and ambition. Women reported that gender was not an important characteristic of role models. Although they said they could live without a same-sex role model, many women reported that they would like a female role model, especially to help them in their personal versus professional career decisions. (JAC)