Reasons why some students complete further education (FE) and others drop-out were examined in a study involving a sample of 9,000 students and staff from 31 inner city, urban, and rural FE colleges throughout the United Kingdom. Data were collected from the following sources: interviews with FE college managers, staff, and students; review of data and pertinent internal document at each college, and survey of current and withdrawn students. It was concluded that students are more likely to drop out if they fit into one of the following categories: believe that they not have been placed in the most appropriate course; applied to college late; have difficulty making friends and/or settling in at the beginning of their course; are less (compared with their peers) satisfied with the quality of teaching, their course timetable, and/or available help getting a job; are male; have difficult financial circumstances; and have their fees waived or reduced. Strategies for colleges, funding and inspection agencies, and government agencies seeking to reduce dropout rates were identified. (Contains 41 references and 35 figures. Appended are discussions of the following: validity of the student survey sample, variations between colleges, and other research on retention.) (MN)