Factors that affect enrollment, applications, and student academic achievement (high school rank and Scholastic Aptitude Test scores) at 38 private colleges and universities in North Carolina were studied, based on data obtained from the Higher Education General Information Survey and the North Carolina Higher Education Data reports. The following variables were assessed: institution size, county population and growth, area population and growth, area student percentage, area student growth, out-of-state percentage and growth, proximity to the University of North Carolina (UNC), institution age, percentage of bachelor's degrees in education awarded in 1973-l974 (education percentage) and the education growth rate, coeducational or single-sex college, the predominant race of the institution, and religious affiliation. Findings include the following: private institutions located in large population areas (600,000 or more) had a greater increase in freshman applications; institutions that enrolled a larger percentage of students in education experienced an increase in applications and enrollments (however, the quality of the students enrolled declined); the academic performance of students in institutions with larger percentages of out-of-state students declined; institutions related to the United Methodist Church showed increases in freshmen enrollments; and the newer institutions reported larger percentage increases in freshmen enrollments. (SW)