A study was done of two Minnesota State "second chance" program options designed to help at-risk students to complete high school. The options are: (1) private urban alternative programs, administered by non-sectarian, community-based organizations principally serving teenagers from Minneapolis and St. Paul (Minnesota); and (2) the Area Learning Centers (ALCs), which had originally been exclusively located in suburban and rural areas of the state but which are now available in the two major cities as well. The data for the study were gathered at the program sites in the spring of 1990. Student samples were drawn in advance of survey administration from lists of enrollees provided by the ALCs and urban alternative schools. The two organizations serve different populations: students in the urban alternative schools were 57 percent minority, while the ALCs drew only 8 percent minority. However, both programs serve reentry students and low income families and at both programs reasons for enrollment was to help students stay in school. Analysis of the data indicate extremely high levels of satisfaction with the programs, although students in the urban schools valued smaller classes while students at the ALCs valued being able to proceed at their own pace. In addition, the proportion of ALC participants who expected to obtain some postsecondary education appeared to have doubled. An appendix on study methodology and an appendix containing three student surveys are included. (JB)