In this study an attempt was made to consider the behaviour of students in a new open plan high school and a research project involving a comparison of coping and noncoping students is described. Significant differences in scholastic behaviour between the two groups of students at the end of the first term indicated that: 1. The coping group tended to have a more internal locus of control that the non coping group. 2. The students of the coping group tended to plan for professional careers whereas those of the non coping group tended to plan for non professional careers. 3. On the whole the coping group tended to have realistic career aims in terms of their general ability. 4. The students of the coping group tended to have higher I.Q. scores than those of the non coping group. There were no significant differences between the coping and non coping groups in terms of their attitude towards the high school nor in terms of the attitude of their parents.