Student characteristics related to out-of-class interactions with faculty were studied. Interviews with 26 undergraduate students focused on the following topics: students' college and life goals, interpersonal relationships, relationships with faculty, undergraduate activities, self-image, approach to education, and feelings about college. A grounded theory approach was used to discover several categories and properties associated with students' patterns of interaction with faculty. These categories were used to develop a theoretical model that predicts and explains students' frequency and type of interaction with faculty. From this model, a more general theory was developed that can be generalized to other college environments. This theory explains students' patterns of interaction with faculty in terms of three main variables: self-esteem, perception of the environment, and involvement in college life. It was found that the more involved students are in all aspects of the college, and the more positively they perceive themselves and the college environment, the more likely they are to seek informal, out-of-class interactions with professors. (Author/SW)