The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze some of the major approaches that are taken in the study of student change and stability. The approaches discussed are (1) the atheoretical approach, where the outcome is explored without a theoretical orientation; (2) presumed goals of higher education, where the outcome is cast in terms of the avowed objectives of higher education; (3) the developmental or growth approach, where changes are placed with a framework of personality development; (4) life-cycle movement within the general social system, where the emphasis is on the processes and results of channeling, preparing, ensuring and certifying youth for certain occupational and social roles in the larger society; and (5) social organizational impacts, where the nature and direction of student change, stability or outcome is analyzed as a function of the distinctive effects of different college environments. (AF)