Disaster preparedness is a national public health concern. The risk of individuals and communities affected by a natural disaster has increased, and unfortunately this trend is expected to continue. College students could play a primary role in responding to and recovering from a major disaster if they have sufficiently prepared for a disaster. A survey was distributed to college students between the ages of 18-24 at a large Midwest university to determine differences in their disaster preparedness levels based on their knowledge, risk perceptions, beliefs, self-efficacy, and prior enrollment in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) or first aid class. The results showed students with advanced knowledge of disaster preparedness, a high-risk perception of experiencing a disaster, and a high self-efficacy in their ability to prepare for a disaster all had higher disaster preparedness levels than students with basic knowledge, low-risk perception, and low self-efficacy. The results also indicated that students who have previously taken a CERT or first aid class also have a higher disaster preparedness level than students who have not previously taken either class. However, there was not a statistical difference in disaster preparedness levels between students who had a strong belief in preparedness mitigating the harmful effects of a disaster compared to students who had weak beliefs. A disaster preparedness education program with a focus on increasing these factors will likely improve these behaviors. [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.]