The personal stories of young women who have either dropped out of school or are at risk of dropping out, reveal a complex set of perceptions, interpretations, and contradictions regarding the roles of race, gender, and class in their behavior and attitudes. A one-year research project was conducted in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) with 75 females, aged 13 to 19, who had either dropped out, dropped out and returned to school, or were considered to be at-risk of dropping out. Six semi-structured focus groups were organized for interviewing. Four groups were composed of at-risk students from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Two of the groups were composed of women who had dropped out of school, and were enrolled in a community based dropout program. The participants were encouraged to tell their individual stories, offer insights into their own experiences, and make observations on the experiences of others. Their responses are organized into the following broad areas: (1) reasons for leaving; (2) experiences in school; (3) thoughts about returning; and (4) recommendations for improvement. The appendix contains autobiographical sketches written by three of the participants. A brief list of references is also included. (FMW)