In 1977 the Center for Continuing Education of Women (CEW) at the University of Michigan initiated a study of the lives of women who had gone to CEW during 1964-73. Effects of the transition from the traditional wife-mother-homemaker role to employment were examined among women of different ages and points of the life cycle, with particular attention to the relationships between career orientation and self-views. A 10-page questionnaire was returned by 1145 respondents, aged 22-83 of reasonably high socioeconomic status. Employed women showed higher self-esteem than unemployed women. Life satisfaction showed essentially the same pattern of relationships to work status. Work status was not, however, significantly related to self-esteem or life satisfaction among women 35-44. Reasons considered for this behavior were family-state, type of job, and her perception of her husband's attitudes about pursuing a career. Data seemed to corroborate a picture of women 35-44 as caught in a time warp where they accept and are influenced by new options opening to women but do not reject older values and interests. Current level of employment appeared to be related to maternal employment. (The paper ends with a summary of figures on the current CEW population to help illustrate issues involed in serving these women and to suggest the breadth and complexity of the CEW counseling process. Six tables are appended.) (YLB)