TWO INVENTORIES (THE INTEREST ASSESSMENT SCALES AND SELECTED SCALES OF THE OMNIBUS PERSONALITY INVENTORY) AND A BACKGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE DEVELOPED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY WERE ADMINISTERED TO MALE AND FEMALE JUNIOR COLLEGE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN TRADE AND VOCATIONAL COURSES. AMONG THE NONCOGNITIVE VARIABLES COMPARED WERE SOURCES OF LIFE SATISFACTION (JOB, MARRIAGE, FAMILY, LEISURE, AND RELIGION), RISK TAKING ATTITUDES, IMPULSE EXPRESSION, ESTHETICISM, AND ABSTRACTION. MEANINGFUL PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS WERE FOUND TO BE RELATED TO THE CHOICE OF A VOCATIONAL PROGRAM IN A JUNIOR COLLEGE. THE STUDENTS ARE NOT SIMPLY AN AGGREGATE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN OTHER COURSES OR BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN JUDGED UNABLE TO COMPLETE AN ACADEMIC COURSE OF STUDY. THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE JUNIOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN NONVOCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND FROM STUDENT POPULATIONS IN 4-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL IN COUNSELING PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM PLANNING. (HS)