The General Academic Learning Experience (GALE) is an assessment of community college student knowledge in the liberal arts. The study involved the design and administration of an instrument, which included a demographic survey and a multiple-choice content test. In total, over 2,500 students from 10 colleges in Southern California participated. Employing quantitative analysis methods, we found relationships between students' knowledge in the liberal arts and their course-taking and other background characteristics. The results of the study are timely in helping institutions respond to increasing calls for accountability in measuring student learning outcomes. (Contains 8 tables.)