For increasing numbers of Americans, a fundamental element of the American Dream appears to be at risk. A solid majority consider a college degree an indispensable ticket to the middle class, while even more people believe college is financially out-of-reach for many qualified students. The authors of this report advocate that findings have…

Examines barriers faced by African-American students at predominantly white colleges, suggests a typology of discrimination, and presents a tentative theory of cumulative discrimination. Data from interviews with 24 college students, administrators, and faculty members from a sample of 180 middle-class urban African Americans indicate that the…