Research findings on the black student and on predominantly Negro institutions of higher education in the US have clarified 2 sets of facts: (1) less than 6% of all students currently enrolled in US colleges are black, whereas almost 12% of the US college-age population are black, and (2) more than two-fifths of the black students attend predominantly Negro institutions, which represent 4% of the current 2,300 US undergraduate institutions. These findings have prompted the planning or implementation of programs at federal, state, and local levels for the purpose of increasing higher educational opportunities for black and other minority group youth. This report provides a black-nonblack comparison, in the form of a summary, of student characteristics by institution, race, and sex. The national norms presented were compiled from data provided by 12,300 black students and 230,582 nonblack students on a Student Information Form. All of the students were entering freshmen at 358 institutions in the fall of 1968. Characteristics included in the summary are age, high school grades, postbaccalaureate degree aspirations, selection of college major, parental education, religious background, family income, college choice influences, financial support for college education, marriage plans and career aspirations, and study habits. The data on which these comparisons are based appear in 24 tables appended to the report. (WM)