DATA, FROM A 1962 NATIONWIDE SURVEY AND FROM STUDIES IN VARIOUS STATES, WERE GIVEN. THE ECONOMIC PLIGHT OF SCHOOL DROPOUTS AND SOME FACTORS RELATED TO DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL WERE PRESENTED. IN OCTOBER, 1962, THE RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT WAS ABOUT 29 PERCENT FOR 1962 DROPOUTS, AS COMPARED WITH ABOUT 15 PERCENT FOR JUNE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. COMPARED WITH GRADUATES, DROPOUTS WERE CONCENTRATED IN FARM AND NONFARM LABORING JOBS AND FEW WERE CRAFTSMEN OR WHITE-COLLAR WORKERS. THE PROPORTION OF NONFARM WORKERS WHO WORKED ONLY PART-TIME BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC REASONS WAS 16 PERCENT FOR 1961 DROPOUTS, COMPARED WITH FOUR PERCENT 1961 GRADUATES. UNEMPLOYMENT FOR NONWHITE GRADUATES WAS HIGHER THAN FOR WHITE GRADUATES, UNEMPLOYMENT FOR DROPOUTS WAS EVEN GREATER THOUGH EQUAL FOR WHITE AND NONWHITE YOUTH. SCHOOL SIZE WAS NOT CLEARLY RELATED TO DROPOUT RATES, BUT FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS WERE CLOSELY RELATED TO DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. GREATER PROPORTIONS OF DROPOUTS CAME FROM LOW STATUS AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES, MOST OF THIER PARENTS FAILED TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL, AND MOST DROPOUTS WERE FROM BROKEN HOMES. RETARDATION IN SCHOOL WAS CLOSELY LINKED TO DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. STUDENTS RETARDED A YEAR OF MORE WHEN THEY ENTERED NINTH GRADE WERE LIKELY TO WITHDRAW BEFORE GRADUATION. IN AN IOWA INVESTIGATION, SIX MAJOR TYPES OF PREDISPOSING FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL INCLUDED DIFFICULT SCHOOL PROGRAMS, LACK OF ACCEPTANCE, DISRUPTIVE HOME SITUATION, FINANCIAL NEEDS, INADEQUATE SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND ENGAGEMENT OR MARRIAGE. IN A LOUISIANA STUDY, LACK OF INTEREST OR MOTIVATION WAS THE KEY FACTOR GIVEN BY YOUTH FOR DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. MOST OF THESE YOUTH FELT THAT NOTHING WOULD HAVE KEPT THEM IN SCHOOL. FOR MANY DROPOUTS IN RURAL AREAS, CONFLICTS IN NORMS FOR BEHAVIOR BETWEEN SCHOOL AND HOME CONTRIBUTED TO FEELING OF INSECURITY AND ALIENATION FROM SCHOOL.