In this study, relationships among stereotype expectations, gender, and academic self-concept and performance of African American students in predominantly White and predominantly Black college contexts were examined. Stereotype expectations are students' perceptions of biased treatment and evaluation within their major classroom settings (SE). Findings indicated that students' majors were related to stereotype expectations, as well as to their academic competence. Our results also provide evidence of gender and institutional interactions in the relationships between stereotype expectations and academic outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of the need to examine issues of race and gender in the academic experiences of African Americans, as well as how their specific school and classroom contexts may influence their experiences.

Ethnic minority students’adjustment in majority college environments is related to the characteristics and experiences they bring to college as well as experiences on campus. In the present study, the authors explore the interaction of socioeconomic background and precollege intergroup contact opportunities among African American students (N = 215) at a predominantly White university. The authors also examine relationships among students’ racial identification (racial centrality), perceptions of ethnic fit at college (PEF), and academic adjustment (satisfaction, perceived competence, and performance) for students with differing precollege background profiles. Results indicate differing relationships with PEF across student background as well as differences in the relationships among students’racial centrality, PEF, and their academic adjustment. The findings are discussed in terms of the importance of examining heterogeneity within African Americans and in their subsequent educational experiences.

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College access programs (CAPs) aim to promote college readiness for adolescents, particularly those who may be the first in their family to go to college. Self-regulated learning is a critical component of college readiness. There is limited information about how self-regulated learning beliefs or intentions influence adolescent engagement in CAPs. Using the theory of planned behavior as a guiding framework, the purpose of this study was to examine direct and indirect effects of adolescent self-regulated learning beliefs (i.e., attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control) and intentions on participation in activities offered by a regional, federally funded CAP program (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs; GEAR UP). Structural equation modeling was the analytic technique. We found positive relationships between self-regulated learning beliefs (perceived behavioral control), intentions, and GEAR UP participation. Implications and directions for future research on self-regulated learning within the context of CAP initiatives are discussed.

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