Action research has a dual purpose – transforming reality and producing knowledge about these transformations. An experiment using thismethod was conducted at Cégep Limoilou in view of improving perseverance and success among male college students. Support group activities, tutoring, teacher training and social marketing were undertaken over the course of 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. The action research involved continuous evaluation by a research group which conveyed the results of its analyses to the people working in the milieu, who then readjusted their approach and made improvements as they went along. The article presents the initial problem, the breakdown of the action research methodology with the milieu’s players, and a look at the principal results on the scholastic success ofmale students.