This qualitative study examined the role played by race in the college choice behavior of a group of minority females. It examines the college aspirations and decision making processes of Black female college-bound students and the influences of their parents, friends, college counselors, teachers, and school staff. Subjects were 50 students at 3 urban California high schools. Data collection included transcribed and coded interviews as well as extensive ethnographic observational data and review of documents. The schools were chosen for their ethnic and social differences and included: a predominantly African-American public school with predominantly lower class families; a racially mixed public school of diverse social class composition; and a predominantly white, private school with upper class families. It was found that the students chose colleges where they could see students like themselves who already attended the college. The high schools they attended had acted as templates that encouraged particular kinds of action with the role of Blackness having a different meaning at each of the three schools. The study supported the importance of race and class in defining students' choice behavior with race a clear marker of class membership and class distinction that greatly impacts decision making. Appended are a summary of the data and descriptions of the school settings. (Contains 15 references.) (JLS)