A study was conducted at San Jose City College (SJCC) to identify and track 163 new students enrolled in Math 310 over a period of several semesters. Data on the students' competency and persistence rates were collected for fall 1990 and spring 1991, along with subsequent math class enrollments and success rates. Study findings included the following: (1) 44% of the 163 students enrolled in Math 310 in fall 1990 achieved competency their first semester, and another 8 students achieved competency during the next semester; (2) only 72 (44%) of the Math 310 students persisted to the second semester; (3) no ethnic group achieved above a 50% competency rate or a 50% persistence rate; (4) White females and Black males had 50% or higher competency rates, while the competency rates for Asian females and Black females were below 35%; (5) Asian males (60%) and Black males (57%) had the highest persistence rates, while Asian females (33%), Hispanic males (33%), and Black females (18%) had the lowest; (6) the younger the student, the more likely he/she was to reach first-semester competence; (7) 62% of the students under 20 years of age persisted to the second semester, compared to 27% of the students over 35; (8) students in classroom settings reached competency at a much higher rate (64%) than those in structured labs (46%), though structured lab students persisted at a higher rate (55%) than classroom students (31%). Data tables, charts, and recommendations are included. (JSP)