The purpose of the study was to investigate the psychosocial factors affecting the educational and occupational development of women undergraduates. Emphasis was placed on discovering manifestations and determinants of the development of autonomy. Divided into 2 parts, the report first surveys 2 decades of research literature concerning the educational, occupational and sociopsychological development of undergraduate and adult women. It includes a critical evaluation of the research and recommendations for further studies. The second part contains an analysis of test, questionnaire and interview data obtained in a 4-year longitudinal study of male and female students. An analysis of the interview data led to the ordering of female students on a continuum of degrees of autonomy. This ordering into subgroups was subsequently corroborated by an analysis of the test and questionnaire responses. It was found that the differences in degrees of autonomy the women achieved were related to differences in background factors, mainly parental influence, and were predictive of life styles in and after college. Recommendations are made for modifying the academic program, counseling and milieu of each of the subgroups distinguished in the study. The variations of female responses to societal and parental pressures to adopt specific roles or follow specific careers are described in extensive detail. Recognition of the intellectual and marital motivations of college women and their effect upon educational and occupational objectives should be helpful in formulating sound educational policies. (Author/JS)