Drawing on longitudinal data on 81 Illinois high school valedictorians, this study traced the consequences of economics, family, and college experiences on the early adult achievement of 8 African-American and Mexican-American valedictorians. Interview results indicate the post-high-school conditions that constrain achievement of even academically…

This research report examines 10-year results of the Illinois Valedictorian Project, a program that has followed 81 high-achieving high school valedictorians for 10 years following their high school graduation. It describes the study's sampling and study methods; presents the findings from the first 5 years and the status of the study group at…