Race and Sex Differences and Similarities in the Process of College Entry

This study evaluates the process of college entry for race and sex groups as predicted by an elaboration of the Blau and Duncan (1967) status attainment model. Four important observations were derived from the study. First, sex differences among blacks, which have not been previously examined, were less pronounced than sex differences among whites. Secondly, race effects were more influential than sex in affecting the process of college entry. Thirdly, for all groups the effects of race, sex, family status origin (SES) and standardized test performance on college attendance were substantially mediated by school process variables (e.g., high school rank and curriculum), by "significant others" influences, and by student educational expectations. Fourthly, the net effects of structural background variables (e.g., SES and standardized test performance) on college attendance were much stronger for blacks (particularly for black males) than for whites.