The academic persistence of undergraduate students at Arizona State University was studied. Demographic and academic profiles were developed, and persistence rates were calculated for the overall population of 3,166 freshmen, and by gender and ethnicity. Additional demographic variables were residency status and age. The academic variables included major, composite American College Testing (ACT) score, rank in high school graduating class, first semester grade point average (GPA), last semester of attendance, and cumulative earned hours. Forty-seven percent ranked in the top two deciles of their high school graduating classes; 84 percent ranked in the upper half. Almost 75 percent earned a GPA above 2.0 during their first semester, and the most popular major was business. Of the 1,625 males in the study population, 571 persisted to graduation by fall semester 1981, and an additional 138 persisted but failed to graduate. Among the 1,541 females there were 562 persisters, 435 graduates and 127 nongraduates. Graduates and persisters were on the average slightly younger and also had higher average high school ranks, ACT composite scores, and first semester GPAs. Among those majors enrolling more than 75 students, the highest combined rates of persistence and graduation were in engineering, architecture, biological science, business, communication, and health science. Asians achieved the highest combined persistence rate (63 percent). Among the important indicators of persistence were previous academic performance and first semester GPA. Other factors that should be considered include whether students have clear academic objectives and the needs of minorities. (SW)