This study sought to determine which factors helped or hindered the establishment of associate degree programs in nursing. Data were collected by a series of questionnaires from colleges that had rejected, were considering, or had established a nursing program. Most were accredited, were publicly controlled, had an enrollment above 500, and offered other terminal programs. Since the size of the full-time enrollment was found to be crucial, colleges with less than 500 students should rarely consider the program. Factors that most hindered its establishment were (1) financing of expensive facilities, (2) scarcity and cost of qualified staff, (3) need for a planning period, (4) inadequate local hospital facilities to provide clinical experience, (5) lack of interest by nursing profession, (6) resistance by a state board of nursing, and (7) proximity of another college offering the course. Factors that helped were (1) the statement of guiding principles issued jointly by the National League of Nursing and the AAJC, (2) availability of foundation or federal funds, (3) ingenious use of existing funds and facilities, (4) community support, (5) time for and diligence in planning. , (6) interest of local hospitals (as laboratories and employers), and (7) assistance from state board of nursing. Most important were the determination of the administrators, their ingenuity in balancing of the helping and hindering factors, and their wish to help ameliorate the nationwide shortage of nurses. (HH)