The purpose of this study was to develop a retention model specific to the 2-year college environment using factors not typically combined with the study of student retention. The study operationalized factors representing the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness combined with elements of Bean and Metzner's nontraditional student attrition model. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques. The results indicated acceptable model fit and small to moderate effects were noted for competence and autonomy with grade point average (GPA). GPA exhibited the sole direct effect on student retention. The results further indicated the student characteristics of full-time enrollment and completion of 30 or more college-level credits combined with GPA explained a higher variance on student retention than did the factors of autonomy, competence, relatedness, external pull, or external support combined.