Opinionnaires were mailed to 860 Wisconsin Indian college students and graduates, 189 of whom were also interviewed, to identify positive factors contributing to completion of college degrees by Wisconsin Indian people. The opinionnaire used for current students and those graduated from 1977 to 1982 differed from that used with pre-1977 graduates; the latter provided more open-ended questions. Usable opinionnaires (214) were 27.8% of those distributed. Financial aid ranked first as a factor contributing to college completion, followed by family support, having a personal goal, determination, and intelligence. Seven composite profiles of Wisconsin Indians who completed college degrees, derived from the opinionnaires and interviews, showed a number of commonalities: a parent or parents who understood the value of a college education, no perception of discrimination before the high school level, discovery that college was more difficult than high school and less personal, pride in being Indian, and sense of purpose. Detailed recommendations from opinionnaire respondents discussed six sources that could encourage Indian students: parents, pre-college schools, tribes, colleges and universities, students themselves, and older Indian college students. A specific recommendation called for a state-wide conference on Indian education, followed by practical on-site workshops to help implement the study's recommendations. Appendices include opinionnaires, maps, and supporting letters. (MH)