The Source of the River: The Social Origins of Freshmen at America's Selective Colleges and Universities

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi CHAPTER ONE: The Puzzle of Minority Underachievement 1 CHAPTER TWO: Sample and Methodology 20 CHAPTER THREE: Family Origins 46 CHAPTER FOUR: Neighborhood Background 70 CHAPTER FIVE: Prior Educational Experiences 87 CHAPTER SIX: The Social World of High School 109 CHAPTER SEVEN: Racial Identity and Attitudes 133 CHAPTER EIGHT: Pathways to Preparation 155 CHAPTER NINE: Sink or Swim: The First Semester 184 CHAPTER TEN: Lessons Learned 197 Appendix A.Survey of College Life and Experience: First-Wave Instrument 209 Appendix B.Construction of Social Scales 251 REFERENCES 269 INDEX 279