This five-part report describes a study conducted by Middlesex County College (MCC) to examine the problems and experiences of various segments of its student body and to determine, on the basis of this examination, factors that aggravate student/college interaction and increase student attrition. Part I details study procedures, which involved a series of focused group discussions with randomly selected members of eight segments of the MCC community: Black, Hispanic, and veteran students; women students 25 years of age or older; traditional (those who enrolled directly out of high school) and non-traditional (those who did not enroll directly out of high school) students; former students; and faculty and administrators. Part II summarizes, for each group, comments made by participants relating to 15 factors that affect student life: teachers, campus social life, financial problems, family life, faculty advisors, studying, student facilities, MCC's image, student motivation and maturity, MCC's concern for the student's problems and needs, reasons for attending MCC, reasons for leaving, student self-image, and curricular flexibility. Finally, Part III offers vignette profiles of each group, Part IV outlines the areas where the groups agreed or disagreed with respect to each of the 15 factors; and Part V concludes with a series of generalizations concerning factors that positively or negatively affect the student/college relationship. (JP)