Author Description

This study examined the effects of race on the experiences and outcomes of first-year students at York University (Ontario). Data were collected through a survey of 1,093 students at their time of entry in September 1992 and a survey of 1,129 students conducted in February-March of 1993. The study found that students' socioeconomic backgrounds varied by race, with the families of students of European origin having higher incomes than others, while the parental education of students of East Indian origin was higher than for other groups. The results also indicated that black students, more than all others, believed that they had been academically prepared for the university and felt more competent than their peers. The study found that black students had the lowest grade point averages (GPAs) while students of European origin had the highest. The difference between the means, however, was only 2 percent. Regression analysis indicated that race, per se, had little if any impact on educational outcomes. Explanations for differences were most likely to be found in the different classroom experiences of students of different races and the degree of academic involvement on campus. (Contains 34 references.) (MDM)