While there has been a substantial amount of research focused on underprepared non-traditional students who have withdrawn or persisted in remedial education coursework, little research has been conducted on underprepared, non-traditional students who choose not to enroll after being referred to remedial studies. In light of this gap in the literature this study focused on the research question: For non-traditional aged technical college students who are referred to remediation studies, what factors militate against their enrolling in their initial remediation course? Anchored in a grounded theory approach to inquiry and the constant comparative method of data analysis, the research was rooted in the voices of non-traditional, technical college students who had been referred to remediation but had chosen not to attend. In broad strokes, the research led to the development of a theory of dissonance between "institutional reality" and "prospective students' reality" as they are engaged in the referral to remediation process. Specifically, four factors that were found to militate against their enrollments: 1) scheduling mismatch between student's availability and institutional timetable; 2) traditional, face-to-face remedial educations is not a priority; 3) buy-in for remediation diminishes as COMPASS underestimates writing and reading abilities; and 4) fear of failure. This study can be used by leaders and practitioners in higher education to reduce the number of students who choose not to enroll in remedial education studies after they have been referred. [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.]