EXPERIMENTAL DATA WERE GATHERED ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRECOLLEGE ORIENTATION AND ACTUAL PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE. SPECIFICALLY, THREE APPROACHES WERE STUDIED--(1) AN INTENSIVE, 1-WEEK ORIENTATION EXPERIENCE HELD EARLY IN THE SUMMER PRECEDING COLLEGE, (2) THE TRADITIONAL FALL ORIENTATION PROGRAM, AND (3) NO ORIENTATION FOR COLLEGE. COLLEGE PERFORMANCES WHICH WERE ASSESSED WERE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, ENROLLMENT PERSISTENCE, AND COURSE OF STUDY STABILITY. THE HYPOTHESIS WAS THAT STUDENTS EXPOSED TO THE SUMMER ORIENTATION APPROACH WOULD EARN HIGHER GRADES, BE LESS INCLINED TO DROP OUT, AND BE MORE INCLINED TO A STABLE COURSE OF STUDY THAN WOULD STUDENTS EXPOSED TO THE OTHER APPROACHES. THE POPULATION FOR THE SUMMER APPROACH CONSISTED OF 51 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES FROM EASTERN WASHINGTON STATE WHO HAD ENROLLED IN 15 DIFFERENT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THEY WERE MATCHED WITH CONTROL SUBJECTS ON (1) ATTENDANCE AT THE SAME COLLEGE, (2) PURSUANCE OF THE SAME COURSE OF STUDY, (3) HIGH SCHOOL GRADE POINT AVERAGE, (4) MENTAL ABILITY, (5) SEX, AND (6) SIZE OF HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDED. RESULTS INDICATED CURVE DIFFERENCES IN THE HYPOTHESIZED DIRECTION ON THE THREE MEASURES OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, ENROLLMENT PERSISTENCE, AND STUDY STABILITY. GROUP DIFFERENCES NOTED IN MEAN GRADE POINT AVERAGE AND ENROLLMENT PERSISTENCE, HOWEVER, WERE NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS IN COURSE OF STUDY STABILITY. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH WERE DISCUSSED IN THE REPORT. (HB)