  We study gauge theories which are associated with classical vacua of
perturbative Type II string theory that allows for a conformal field theory
description. We show that even if we compactify seven spatial dimensions
(allowing for one macroscopic dimension to arise non-perturbatively) the
Standard Model cannot be obtained from the perturbative sector of Type II
superstrings. Therefore, the construction of the Standard Model (or extensions
thereof) from M theory must involve fields that are non-perturbative from the
Type II perspective. We also address the case of eight compact dimensions.
