The problem investigated in this study was which of three theories of withdrawal best explained why some community college students voluntarily disengaged from school. The theories examined were Clark's (1960, 1980) "cooling-out" theory, Ogbu's (1974, 1978) "job ceiling" theory, and Willis' (1977) "counter-culture" theory. Eleven white females who originally attended the same institution in the southeastern United States primarily as full-time students and later voluntarily withdrew were selected on the basis of those who would have ordinarily been expected to persist to graduation and those who would not have been expected to do so. These two groups were also sub-divided by lower and higher social class standing. Data were collected through four interviews to provide a life history of the educational and occupational experiences, attitudes, aspirations, and beliefs of each participant. Domain analysis, a method recommended for qualitative, text-based data, was used to analyze the transcribed interview responses.

The findings indicate that the three theories providing the conceptual framework do not fully explain why the women in this study chose to withdraw from college. These women did not seem to perceive that the institution had encouraged them to lower their aspirations and to relocate in the curriculum (Clark). The women also did not seem to consider the job ceiling in making their own occupational decisions (Ogbu). Further, they did not seem to be attracted to a counter-culture set of beliefs and behaviors, and in fact, seemed to accept the beliefs and behaviors of the school (Willis).

Rather, the women in this study demonstrated goal confusion and indecision, confusion about the relationship between education and work, and ambivalence about the identities and roles they wanted for themselves. Although they all wanted "something special" as an occupation, they gradually narrowed their options by acting upon the messages they received from significant others and from their observations about the role of education and work in people's lives. The decision to withdraw from college was but one of the choices they made as they narrowed their l options. Factors which remain unexplained by the three theories and recommendations for community colleges hoping to improve retention rates are discussed.