An objective analysis of students' initial motivation for studying overseas was attempted by surveying students before they embarked on their exchange programs. Eighty-eight students who were planning to study in France, Great Britain, Germany, and the People's Republic of China were surveyed. The exchange program was sponsored by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Eighty-four percent considered general academic goals to be a primary reason for studying overseas. Travel was also cited as a very popular motivating factor. A combination of objective and subjective reasons for participating was often mentioned--namely the desire to live in another culture coupled with the desire to enhance career opportunities. For half of the students, cost was a major consideration. Students opting for a single semester of study were less committed to academic goals than those opting for a longer stay. Program participants tended to cite reasons for studying abroad that matched the philosophical reasons for maintaining the programs: academic challenge, cultural immersion, gaining a new perspective on the United States, acquisition of new skills, and career enhancement. The implications of the results for study abroad advisors are discussed. (RW)