In fall 1981, entering freshmen at Bronx Community College (BCC) were encouraged to attend a 10-week non-credit orientation course (SPD-99), in which counselors used a variety of materials and instructional procedures to assist students with their educational, career, and personal development and to introduce students to various campus resources and services. In fall 1982, entering freshmen were required to attend a one-credit, 15-week orientation course (OCD-01), which had a similar focus, but a standardized outline. A study was conducted to determine and compare the effects of the two courses on students' mean cumulative grade point average (GPA) and retention rate. The study compared the performance of 195 students who attended SPD-99 five or more times, 1,082 students who did not attend SPD-99 at all, 732 students who attended OCD-01 more than seven times, and 678 students who did not attend OCD-01 at all. Study findings, based on a random sample of every third student in each group, included the following: (1) the mean GPA and re-enrollment rate of students who attended SPD-99 five or more times were significantly higher than those of students who did not attend the class at all; (2) attendance of OCD-01 had a similarly positive effect on students' GPA and retention rates; and (3) the mean GPA and re-enrollment rates of students who attended SPD-99 were significantly higher than those of students who attended OCD-01. (HB)