This article presents a summary of some research on a statistical approach to identifying potentially successful and dropout students in a college population. The technique utilized is Multiple Discriminant Analysis (MDA). MDA eliminates the shortcomings of regression-correlation and uses only quantifiable information. The 2 variables that proved significant in the 3 tests were (1) the Social Consciousness Score test (administered by the Educational Testing Service) and (2) the percentage of college costs financed by grants. It was shown that successful students have a greater concern for social issues which is reflected in their greater persistance in college; also that successful students have a higher percentage of grants than unsuccessful students. High School Rank proved significant, while High School Average did not. Conclusions include that (1) MDA has application (69-8790 successful in study) for the college population as a whole; (2) loans are not necessarily the most effective way to finance higher education; and (3) the entire area of useful indicators of college student success should be reevaluated. (TA)