This article reports the results of a survey of novice superintendents in California, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio. The research provides a profile of novice superintendents and their opinions regarding the adequacy of academic preparation and the problems they encountered after entering this challenging position. Findings indicate that the novices were typical demographically of all superintendents, and generally, they were satisfied with their academic preparation. However, they were highly focused on managerial problems, an outcome likely explained by nature of their employing districts. The typical novice was employed in a district that (a) was rural (b) enrolled less than 1,000 students, and (c) was below average in taxable wealth. Findings and conclusions provide insights for improving academic preparation and for considering changes to state policy that could affect qualifications for this challenging position. (Contains 6 tables.)