An in-depth study of a five-county area included in the Eastern Iowa Community College district yielded the following findings: (1) Nearly one-third of all youth without plans for college were in a general curriculum (2) Youth plans for college were found to be related to family economic status, stability of home life, level of parents' education, and parents' attitude toward youth continuing in school, (3) Of respondents having no further education beyond high school, 22 percent of the men had taken no vocational education to prepare for a job, (4) Employers almost neven employ high school dropouts, (5) Financial reasons and inability to make good enough grades were reasons of most importance given by over half of all seniors who did not plan college attendance, (6) 56 percent felt they received some but not very much help, or little help in making educational plans or occupational choices, (7) Fields of advanced study of interest to seniors revealed needs for preprofessional or technical programs in 10 areas, (8) Parents of fifth grade children expressed interest for their children obtaining advanced education in 11 technical areas, and (9) Areas in which employers indicated the greatest need for job up-grading training were supervisory training, blueprint reading, business, mathematics and mechanics. (DM)