The study examined early tuition-guarantee programs for disadvantaged students to determine their characteristics, key issues, and effectiveness. The study found four different types of programs: (1) sponsorship programs in which one individual or organization provides intensive academic help, mentoring, and other services to a small, broad-based group of students; (2) "last-dollar" programs which guarantee students the remaining assistance needed to attend postsecondary school after all other sources of assistance have been exhausted; (3) university-based programs which guarantee admission and tuition at a particular institution and also offer services while students complete high school; (4) "pay-for-grades" programs in which a donor provides few services but puts modest funds, based on students' grades, into accounts for use later in paying higher education expenses. The study showed that in 1988-89 at least 42,496 students were involved in tuition guarantee programs with 2,884 students now receiving postsecondary education tuition benefits. The report found a lack of data concerning program effectiveness. Appended are suggestions for evaluation data collection and design. (DB)