In response to research indicating that Asian Pacific American (APA) students were considerably more dissatisfied with programs and services than any other ethnic group, Rancho Santiago Community College (RSCC), in California, conducted a series of focus group interviews with APA students to determine their characteristics and motivations. All 4,534 APA students enrolled in credit courses at the college's Santa Ana and Orange campuses in spring 1996 were invited to participate, with 168 students joining the focus groups held throughout April 1996. Of the participants, 59% were male, 66% had attended high school outside of the United States, and 72% had lived in the country for less than 5 years. Reasons cited by participants for attending RSCC included recommendations from friends, convenient location, and affordability, while elements of the college that they liked included the relaxed and comfortable environment, the diversity of the student body, knowledgeable faculty, and the variety of course offerings. What participants disliked most about RSCC included unwelcoming attitudes on the part of some faculty, the failure of the ethnic make-up of faculty to reflect that of the student body, discriminatory behavior exhibited by some employees and students, and being stereotyped. Offices, departments, and programs the students found helpful included the admissions department, the counseling department, the financial aid office, and the English department. However, some participants cited the financial aid office and the counseling department as unreceptive or unhelpful. (HAA)