This report presents findings of a nationwide study of student transitions from secondary to postsecondary education that is based on a survey of state higher education agencies and site visits to six states. The report finds a growing role for state higher education agencies in setting minimum college admissions requirements, coexistence of traditional admissions criteria with newer competency-based requirements, and expanding collaboration between postsecondary systems and the K-12 sector in program development. After an introduction, statewide admissions policies are addressed, including types of statewide admissions requirements; their perceived success; competency-based admissions; and open-door, conditional, and other admissions policies. The following section summarizes data on types of student preparation programs and their perceived success. Next, statewide remediation policies are analyzed in terms of types of policies and their perceived success. The final section identifies other state-level student transition issues, such as use of incentive funding and competitive grants. Among eight appendices are: the survey instrument and summaries of statewide college admissions policies; and state data on open door, conditional, and other admissions policies; on programs to improve student preparation and remediation projects; on use of incentive funding to promote institutional change; and on collection and research efforts. (DB)