A comparison of levels of aspiration and antecedents of achievement orientation was made based on interviews with Hawaiian-American, Japanese-American, and Pilipino- American high-achieving women and their mothers. Hawaiian-American women had more traditional life goals and lower educational and vocational aspirations; Japanese- American and Pilipino-American women had more contemporary views of the female role and higher education and vocational aspirations. In all three groups, mothers were more influential than fathers as role models for their high-achieving daughters, but the high-achieving Pilipino-American women felt more ambivalent toward their mothers. (Author)