This study attempts to determine the characteristics of effective intervention programs for students on probation in California community colleges. The author constructed a semi-structured interview tool based on findings from a literature review. She studied six community colleges and five four-year universities. The universities were included in the study because probation intervention programs were conceived at universities as a result of their need to insure financial solvency. Four-year colleges frequently require a college orientation course, to be taken during the first semester. Community colleges cannot mandate such a class, but many strongly recommend it. The most common components of intervention utilized in the colleges in the study are: (1) counseling, used by nine schools; (2) letters mailed, used by seven schools; (3) contracts drawn, used by six schools; (4) course required, used by three colleges; and (5) mandatory consequences such as counseling, used by three schools. The author cites the Scholastic Enhancement Program at Miami University, which had a first-year persistence rate of 95% for class one, 87% for class two, and 95% for class three. The author also notes the inherent difficulties in such a program, such as student stigmatization due to special admissions labels. Contains 42 references, 24 tables, nine figures, and four appendices. (NB)