This grounded theory study was conducted to answer the question, what is the process of persisting among nontraditional students in traditional undergraduate baccalaureate programs? Six interviews were conducted at a small, private Catholic college. The themes that emerged were "know thyself," social support, and personal organization. Also determined was the overlap of subthemes that occurred and in some cases compensated or complemented other subthemes to aid in persistence. The concept of complementary variables, as demonstrated by the data, is worthy of further research because the variables may not be limited to personal characteristics like self-efficacy or motivation and but have an institutional basis. Identifying and addressing these variables may constructively influence institutional policy to positively affect persistence. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]