THE GOAL OF THE STUDY WAS TO IMPROVE THE PROTECTION OF STUDENTS WHO WERE PLANNING TO ATTEND OR ALREADY ENROLLED IN SUCH INSTITUTIONS. FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEW AND PILOT TEST OF STUDY INSTRUMENTS AND ANALYSIS PROCEDURES, THE FIELD TEST WAS BEGUN, USING DOCUMENT ANALYSIS, INTERVIEWS, AND QUESTIONNAIRES. A LIST OF 14 INSTITUTIONAL CONSUMER ABUSE CATEGORIES INCLUDED SUCH TOPICS AS INEQUITABLE REFUND POLICIES, FAILURE TO MAKE TIMELY TUITION AND FEE REFNDS, UNTRUE OR MISLEADING ADVERTISING, LACK OF ADEQUATE SELECTION/ORIENTATION PRACTICES, AND LACK OF NECESSARY DISCLOSURE IN WRITTEN STATEMENTS. INSTITUTIONS STUDIED INCLUDED NONDEGREE OCCUPATIONAL SCHOOLS; 2 YEAR AND 4-YEAR DEGREE INSTITUTIONS: AND BOTH PUBLIC, PRIVATE NONPROFIT AND PRIVATE PROPRIETARY INSTITUTIONS. THE WRITTEN SURVEY RESPONSE RATE WAS 38.8 PERCENT. ALTHOUGH ALL POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS WERE FOUND TO HOLD SOME POTENTIAL FOR STUDENT ABUSE, MOST INSTANCES WERE MINOR. TO ELIMINATE COMSUMER ABUSE, (1) ALL CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS OF SUCH INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF POTENTIALLY ABUSIVE PRACTICES; (2) THE EFFECT OF PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE ASSESSED: (3) A STUDENT CONSUMER GUIDE SHOULD BE PUBLISHED, NATIONALLY DISTRIBUTED, AND ITS IMPACT ASSESSED; (4) ACCREDITATION AGENCIES SHOULD URGE INCREASED AWARENESS OF STUDENT CONSUMER PROTECTION; (5) MINIMUM CONSUMER PROTECTION STANDARDS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO PREVENT THE ABUSES DISCOVERED; (6) IMPLEMENTATION AT THE STATE LEVEL SHOULD BE FOSTERED; (7) COMMUNICATIONS AMONG RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES SHOULD BE ADVANCED; AND (8) FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD INVESTIGATE UNEXAMINED STUDENT COMPLAINTS, CORRESPONDENCE INSTRUCTION, AND NONTRADITIONAL EXTERNAL DEGREE PROGRAMS. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND 14 APPENDICES, DETAILING THE STUDY METHODOLOGY, INSTRUMENTS, AND TERMINOLOGY USED, ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)