The effect of an ability-based curriculum on student development was studied at Alverno College, a liberal arts women's college. Data were obtained from 990 participants representing students, alumnae, and working professionals who were not Alverno students. Sixteen research instruments were administered to a sample of 200 students over their 4 years of study; interviews were conducted with 80 students; and intensive study was undertaken with 60 individuals when they were seniors and 2 years later when they were alumnae. In addition, 100 corporate managers and 80 nurses were studied. The following results are discussed: students learn complex abilities, students become self-sustaining learners, students identified curricular elements most important to their learning, students came to value liberal learning, students changed on measures of personal growth, changes included broad generic abilities, student learning styles changed dramatically, students developed moral sophistication, both older and younger students changed their ways of thinking, alumnae and professionals stressed the importance of both intellectual and interpersonal abilities at work, abilities function as an organizing principle for role performance and career satisfaction, and alumnae experienced competence. (SW)