Because of the tremendous growth in college populations in the last 30 years, the number of programs designed to help underprepared students has grown significantly. Whether or not these programs work is still in question. This study used the meta-analysis techniques of Glas (1976) and Hedges (1985) to study a subset of developmental studies programs that did not specify the subject matter taught. Twenty-seven studies produced 40 effect sizes. The overall effect size was small (ES=.20). The effect size for achievement effects was smaller (ES=.134, K=23); larger for attitude effects (ES =.27, K=5); and larger still for persistence effects (ES=.30, K=12). However, the averaged effect sizes are all small. In these studies, for which the theoretical underpinnings of the program were unknown or unreported, college developmental studies programs perform as well as controls, but not necessarily better than controls. The cause of the poor performance of these programs probably is rooted in their nondescript nature. More study is needed. One figure and three tables are included. (Contains 19 references and a list of the 27 studies examined.) (Author/SLD)