Previous studies have focused almost exclusively on the contribution of community and institutional traits to institutional success. This study indicates that the degree of institutional effectiveness in serving local educational needs may be predicated more on manipulatable institutional policies and practices affecting educational barriers than on fixed community or institutional traits. Empirical data were collected and analyzed to assign numerical values to the variables identified as affecting institutional success. The interrelationships and relative contributions of these community and institutional variables were analyzed through a canonical correlation analysis procedure. The delineation of interrelationships and relative contributions of the variables produced three models for simulating future effectiveness of an institution on the basis of given trait and policy data. Although there are individual differences among the three models, from three to five of the six variables contributing most highly to institutional success were variables directly related to reducing barriers to education. In all cases, these variables were most concerned with alleviating the financial barrier. In Models I and II there were, in addition, two institutional stimulus variables indirectly affecting students but also subject to manipulation. The two criterion variables most adequately predicted from the 26 variables in the models were in proportion of population served an an index of institutional compensation for the income level of the community. Minority representation is predicted to a lesser degree. (Author/DB)