In order to aid admissions personnel and teachers at Vermont College in enrolling, counseling, and motivating adult learners in machine shorthand courses, a set of checklists was developed to gather useful information about student goals, entry-level knowledge and skills, motivation, need for discipline, perseverance, and materials used. Checklists were administered to 18 students in day and continuing education classes at various times from course entry through the completion of the first semester. While early surveys emphasized gathering student characteristics and background data, later surveys addressed specific skills and the degree to which students had attained them or were experiencing difficulty with them. Recommendations were made for expanded use of the checklists, which include the establishment of a card index system to provide instructors and counselors with easy access to achievement information. Transferability of various skills, such as typing, is discussed, and the checklist forms and the text of a preparatory study are appended. (DR)