What enables one student to persist in the face of adversity while another chooses to quit? To answer this question, I captured the lived experiences of 3 female and 3 male postsecondary students who self-identified as either gay, lesbian, or bisexual, all of whom were successfully completing their undergraduate degrees. Utilizing a life history method within a qualitative multiple case study, I co-authored comprehensive accounts of each participant's life, as well as the meanings each attached to his or her past experiences. All participants indicated that family, having a clear sense of identity, and possessing the ability to self-author were of paramount importance to their choice and ability to persist in higher education.