This study compares explanatory factors related to the educational expectations of Japanese American and White college students. The research was conducted at a major West Coast state university located in an urban metropolitan area. Data were gathered through a questionnaire mailed to a sample of 200 Japanese Americans and 200 White full-time undergraduates randomly selected from institutional records. Eighty percent of the Japanese American and 84% of the Whites returned questionnaires. Results indicated that the processes related to educational ambition and, therefore, eventual status attainment are different for Japanese Americans than for Whites. Forty one percent of the Japanese American respondents expected to obtain up to four years of college education, 33% expected to work toward a master's degree, and 26% expected to do work toward a doctorate or professional degree. The comparable percentages for Whites were 50, 31, and 19. Level of academic performance along with the related variables of academic self-confidence and concern over the negative effects of inadequate grades have the highest coefficients for both Japanese Americans and Whites. However, the most important variable for the former is concern over inadequate grades while the most important for the latter is academic self-confidence. Parents' expectations, concern over the negative effects of insufficient motivation, and the importance of "connections" in determining educational achievement assumed an intermediate position of importance for Japanese Americans. None of these variables have the same relative degree of importance for Whites. (Author/RM)