As part of a 3-year California statewide plan for vocational education, a study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of career/vocational counseling at a sample of community colleges. Letters were sent to all California community colleges requesting their participation, and surveys were mailed to the 16 institutions that expressed interest in the project. Student questionnaires requested information on career/vocational counseling needs, knowledge and use of counseling services, ratings of services, and assessment of the benefits they had received from the services. Staff questionnaires focused on awareness of specific services, ratings of their importance and quality, and assessment of the effectiveness of various aspects of career/vocational counseling. Study findings, based on responses from 2,040 vocational and nonvocational students and 221 vocational faculty, counselors, and staff, included the following: (1) 81% of the students who used career/vocational services were satisfied with those services; (2) students' greatest need was to explore careers related to their interests or skills; (3) 84% felt comfortable contacting a counselor for advice about career/vocational goals; (4) students expressed more interest in career/life planning classes than in individual counseling sessions, but they rated individual sessions as the counseling services of highest value and quality; and (5) staff tended to rate the importance of counseling services more highly than students, but students tended to rate the quality of those services more highly. A significant enhancement of the study was the addition of counselor peer consultants and business/industry consultants to assist the colleges in meeting the needs identified by students and staff. Appendixes include the survey instruments and cover letter. (AJL)