Despite the fact that the cost of a college education can be high, over 60% of high school graduates now enter some type of formal post-high school academic program. To find out what financial sources students use to pay for their college education, 28,800 National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test participants were administered a questionnaire. The sample was divided into 72 subgroups formed on the basis of race (black or nonblack), sex, ability level, and geographic region of residence. Although the response rate was low, it justified these tentative conclusions: a substantially higher percentage of blacks were supported by scholarships, federal government aid, and college loans; more blacks had bank loans and worked during the academic year; women received scholarships and federal aid as often as did males; a considerably higher percentage of blacks attended 4-year private institutions; sources of support were related to type of college attended. Regardless of sex or level of parental income, blacks who did not attend college were much more likely than nonblacks to cite lack of funds as the reason; males more often than females and Southerners more often than inhabitants of other regions were more likely to cite lack of funds as the reason they did not pursue a higher education. (JS)