The purpose of this study was to contribute to the research on school dropout by exploring the manner in which school policies and practices affect students' behavior. Four groups, each composed of 12 (6 male, 6 female) secondary students were interviewed. These involved an engaged group, an at-risk group, a group enrolled in alternative programs, and a group who had dropped out of school. The study had two goals. The first was to determine how these participants differed in their perceptions of their scholastic experiences. The second was to compare how males and females perceived their experiences. Significant differences were found by group and gender in perceptions of scholastic abilities. Clear distinctions were also found by group and gender in how the participants made sense of their academic experiences. Suggestions for preventative and remedial programming are offered. Implications for counselling psychology, in general, and school counselling, in particular, are discussed.

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