Graduates of masters' degree programs in education at a small midwestern state college were surveyed to determine the academic and attitudinal differences between those who had obtained their undergraduate degree at other institutions (regional group) and those who were continuing their study toward a graduate degree at the same college (provincial group). In Phase I of the study, examination of the undergraduate grade point averages and Graduate Record Examination scores of the last eight years of masters' degree recipients showed no significant differences between the provincial and the regional groups. In Phase II, when the same data were analyzed by graduate academic discipline, statistically significant differences emerged across the eight disciplines studied. Phase III measured the attitudinal differences between graduates of the regional and provincial groups for the past three years, using the California F-Scale and the Gough-Sanford Rigidity Scale. Data were categorized by the type of institution attended by the regional group members, but no significant differences were found. Phase IV measured attitude characteristics by graduate majors of the two groups. No significant differences resulted from the analysis of the Gough-Sanford Rigidity Scale results, but the California F-Scale produced enough data to warrant examining each of its nine subscales independently. Phase V validated the Likert-type scales used in Phases III and IV. The finding that academic and attitude differences were not institutionally based but discipline-related could have implications for admissions policies, accreditation standards, and personal counseling techniques. Appendices present comparisons of data collected on the graduate students. (FG)