A study was conducted to provide information on the educational, economic, and personal characteristics of students in the Los Rios Community College District (California) and to compare the characteristics of first-time students (FTS); students who transferred from other community colleges, including noncompleter lateral transfer students (NCLT) and completer lateral transfer students (CLT); and students who transferred from four-year institutions, including non-completer reverse transfer students (NCRT) and completer reverse transfer students (CRT). Questionnaires requesting information on students' demographic and educational characteristics, and reasons for attending college and for leaving their previous institution were completed by 10,196 students in the district. Study findings included the following: (1) the sample was 51% female, 30% minority, and evenly divided among three age groups (under 21, 22 to 30, and over 30); (2) 54.7% of the sample were first-time students, 25.7% were lateral transfer students, and 19.6% were reverse transfer students; (3) the FTS group reported taking more units than any other group and had the lowest grade point average; (4) the educational objectives of the CRT group were primarily occupational in nature, while the FTS and NCRT groups listed objectives related to transfer preparation, cost, personal growth, and occupational preparation; and (5) NCLT students left their previous institution for reasons related to mobility, while NCRT students listed academic reasons more frequently. (AYC)