Perceptual learning style preferences are gaining importance of late (Reid 1987, 1995).rnThe instructional impli cations of learning styles are far reaching (Ehrman, 1996). Thisrnstudy aimed at investi gating the perceptual learning style preferences favored byrnfreshman students at Addis Ababa University. Accordingly, two different types ofrnquestiOlmaires ~ one developed by Reid (1987) and the other by Diaz Maggioli (1996) ~rnwere di stributed to and collected from 390 students. There were 215 students from thernsocial science stream: 115 males and 100 females; and 175 students from the naturalrnscience stream: 105 males and 70 females. Interview questions were adapted fromrnEhrman and Christensen (1 994), and the results were used as crutches to support thernscores obtained from the questionnaires.rnIt was found that the majority of the students from both streams showed strongrnpreferences toward visual, kinesthetic, and individual learning styles. In addition, tactilernand auditory learning styles were considered only as minor preferences by the majority ofrnthe students from both streams. Moreover, most of the students from both streamsrnshowed a negative learning preference toward group learning. Finally, the femalernstudents in both streams were found to be significantly more inclined toward the auditoryrnand group learning styles than their male counterparts. On the other hand, the malernstudents in both streams were found to be significantly more inclined toward kinesthetic,rntactile, and individual learning than their female counterparts. Based on these findingsrninstructional implications were drawn and recommendations forwarded.