Camille Z. Charles is the Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor in the Social Sciences, and professor of sociology, education, and Africana studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Mary J. Fischer is assistant professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut. Margarita A. Mooney is assistant professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Douglas S. Massey is the Henry G. Bryant Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University.

"An insightful study of scholastic performance and ethnicity on US campuses... The increasing relative underperformance of US higher education, and especially the variations in academic achievement and persistence between students from different ethnic and socio-economic groups, has recently spawned a plethora of scholarly studies. This book is one of the most important."--Roger Brown, Times Higher Education "Fascinating and important for anyone who cares about managing diversity in higher education."--Stanley Katz, Teachers College Record "Taming the River provides pivotal insights into the experiences of students based on racial differences at elite institutions. Despite its heavy emphasis on quantitative findings, readers can easily understand the data presented in this book. The authors' depiction of the challenges that many students, especially Black and Latino students, face while navigating the first two years of their higher education experience will hopefully inspire readers to develop educational programs to assist these students during this critical phase."--Jennifer S. Cortes, Review of Higher Education "Taming the River is a well written and compelling read that uses sound research and analysis based in strong foundations of sociology and social psychology. The book clearly stimulates thought about institutional, state, and federal policies."--Noah D. Drezner, Journal of College Student Retention

• List of Tables and Figures vii Acknowledgments xi Chapter 1: Entering the Current 1 Chapter 2: Staying Afloat Academically 22 Chapter 3: Staying Afloat Socially 71 Chapter 4: Staying Afloat Financially 99 Chapter 5: Battling Social Undercurrents 119 Chapter 6: The Hidden Rocks of Segregation 150 Chapter 7: The Shoals of Stereotypes 173 Chapter 8: The Wake from Affirmative Action 188 Chapter 9: College at Midstream 205 Appendix A: Questionnaire Used in Spring of Freshman Year 235 Appendix B: Questionnaire Used in Spring of Sophomore Year 252 Appendix C: Construction of Social Scales 273 References 279 Index 295