Reasons that students enter or leave the University of Montana (UM) were studied in fall 1983. Consideration was given to first-term freshmen of traditional age, slightly older students (under age 25), transfer students, dropouts, and students who persisted at the university for 1 academic year. In study phase 1, attention was directed to characteristics of freshmen, their perceptions of the university, and enrollment influences. Phase 2, which was aimed at students in the original sample who had left the university, investigated reasons for leaving and what dropouts selected as alternatives to the university. Finally, the third phase studied persisters' attitudes in order to provide a comparison control group. Information is included on demograhic characteristics of students, living arrangements, employment status, grade point average, students' perceptions of their academic potential, students' positive and negative experiences at UM, attitudes toward advising, impressions of campus offices, sense of involvement with UM, and persisters' future plans and attitudes toward UM. Differences between persisters and leavers are tabulated. A description of the study methodology and questionnaires for and enrollment phases 1, 2, and 3 are provided. (SW)