THE MAJOR EMPHASIS OF THE STUDY WAS UPON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT, AMONG ADOLESCENT BOYS, STRONG ORIENTATION TOWARD THE FATHER AND DISINTEREST IN THE YOUTH CULTURE WILL PREDICT INVOLVEMENT IN THE COLLEGE-BOUND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND CONVERSELY, WEAK ORIENTATION TOWARD THE FATHER AND HIGH INVOLVEMENT IN THE YOUTH CULTURE WILL PREDICT POTENTIAL DROPOUT STATUS. PROCEDURES INCLUDED (1) ADMINISTERING A SOCIAL INTERESTS INVENTORY COMPRISED OF 100 LIKERT-TYPE ITEMS TO 2,220 11TH AND 12TH GRADE BOYS IN SEVEN HIGH SCHOOLS, (2) ADMINISTERING AN ACTIVITY INVENTORY AND A PEER NOMINATIONS INVENTORY TO 676 OF THESE BOYS, AND (3) ANALYZING SCHOOL RECORDS FOR AGE, ABSENCES, CREDITS, CURRICULA, APTITUDE TEST SCORES, FATHER-PRESENCE, AND FATHER'S OCCUPATION. STATISTICAL PROCEDURES RANGED FROM ITEM ANALYSES TO MULTIVARIATE CLASSIFICATION ANALYSIS. THE MAJOR FINDINGS CONFIRMED THE GENERAL HYPOTHESIS THAT SUBJECTS CAN BE GROUPED INTO POTENTIAL-DROPOUT, GENERAL-PROGRAM, AND COLLEGE-BOUND CLASSIFICATIONS AT AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE. INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES WAS LEAST AMONG BOYS WHO POSSESSED LOW ACADEMIC STANDING, LOW ACADEMIC ASPIRATIONS, LOW FATHER-SON AGREEMENTS, AND LOW FATHER OCCUPATIONAL LEVEL. STRONG YOUTH-CULTURE INTERESTS, AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, LOW FATHER-ORIENTATION WERE RELATED TO LOW SCHOOL COMMITMENT. YOUTH CULTURE INCENTIVES IN THE CONTEXT OF A FEW SAME SEX FRIENDS SEEMED TO BE GIVEN IMPETUS BY LOW REGARD FOR THE JOB HELD BY THE FATHER FIGURE. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF REHABILITATING POTENTIAL-DROPOUTS WOULD BE TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE FATHER SURROGATES (WORK-ROLE MODELS FOR POTENTIAL DROPOUTS). (PS)