National Merit Scholars, chosen in 1956 and 1957, were studied to assess career progress made by highly gifted students 7 to 8 years after they had entered college and to identify factors that possibly contributed to the differential progress observed. Before entering college, each of the 368 subjects was asked what level of education he intended to achieve. From questionnaires completed in summer 1964 it was found that 6% of males and 7% of females had not obtained a bachelor's, 13% of males and 25% of females had completed their bachelor's but had not attempted graduate study, 72% of males had a master's or were still pursuing graduate study, and 10% of males had obtained a doctoral or professional degree. Among women, 68% had completed some graduate work. While scores on precollege scholastic ability exams did not affect educational progress, higher annual income and level of education attained by fathers plus a greater emphasis on education and learning in the home were factors contributing to a higher level of education among male students. Among females, the same held true except that scholars from wealthier families were making the least progress. Jewish males and Catholic or Jewish females appeared more likely to have progressed to the graduate level. Personality factors determined by the CPI showed five scales to differentiate significantly among the male progress groups and five differentiated among the female groups. (CS)