Attrition of doctoral students is costly to society. This study examines organizational and personal factors that contribute to the number of graduate students leaving their program of study prior to receiving the terminal degree. The authors make suggestions for program modification and present results from a stress-management intervention program implemented for doctoral students. ********** The doctoral program is considered the preeminent level of study throughout the United States and internationally. Despite its status, graduate education in the United States is far from ideal, considering that only about half of all entering PhD students obtain doctorates (Bowen & Rudenstine, 1992). Recent publications indicate a need to examine how graduate programs themselves contribute to the high attrition rates of their students and what can be done to reduce the number of students who drop out. Some publications have addressed this specific issue (Brannock, Litten, & Smith, 2000; Kelly & Schweitzer, 1999; Lawson & Fuehrer, 2001; National Science Foundation, 1998; N. G. Nelson, Dell'Oliver, Koch, & Buckler, 2001; Ross, Niebling, & Heckert, 1999; Tenenbaum, Crosby, & Gliner, 2001). Lovitts (2001) analyzed factors that influence a graduate student's decision to complete a doctoral program, such as accessibility to faculty, acceptable research topics, the ability of the dissertation committee chair to secure grants, relationships with significant others, employment demands, time cons