A review is provided of statewide and institutional data reflecting the magnitude and causes of the reverse transfer phenomenon. First, data from California, North Carolina, Illinois, Missouri, and Minnesota are presented, contrasting the numbers of students who transfer from two- to four-year colleges to the sometimes greater number of students transferring from four- to two-year colleges. Next, the digest reviews three research efforts undertaken by individual colleges to identify the characteristics and needs of reverse transfer students, including: (1) a study conducted at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC), which focused on the demographic characteristics and reasons that students with certificates or degrees attend PVCC; (2) a study conducted at Santa Ana College (California) to determine the educational interests and matriculation patterns of students who had previously attended a four-year institution; and (3) research undertaken at the Los Rios Community College District (California), which compared the characteristics and objectives of students with five different educational backgrounds. Finally, the digest offers conclusions about reverse transfers, indicating that: (1) those holding four-year degrees represent one of the most academically able segments of the community college student body; (2) those without a baccalaureate come to the community college for a variety of reasons, only one of which is academic difficulty at the senior institution; and (3) while reverse transfers constitute only a minority of the community college population, their presence is further evidence of the growing complexity of the community college environment. (EJV)