This study was an exploratory attempt to relate educational growth in college with factors which the student brings with him into the college situation, as distinguished from relating educational growth to actual collegiate experiences. Educational growth was operationally defined as estimated true test-retest change on the American College Testing (ACT) Program Composite scores. Two estimates were made for each student. One utilized Lord's "best estimate" method, the other, a "base-free" method presented by Tucker, Damarin and Messick. Considerable and varied data were available for the entire sample of 799 freshmen at one college. The method used for the study included an analytic control for sex difference. Results pointed up significant variables for the total group, as well as for men only and women only. An emphasis on studying the sexes separately and a reaffirmation of the potential fruitfulness of research on this topic concluded the study. (TL)