In this book, a social psychologist and a political sociologist explore the dramatic transitions faced by the graduates of A Better Chance, a programme that has brought black students from economically impoverished backgrounds to some of America's most exclusive prep schools and universities - and ultimately to positions of power and prestige. The text is not only an account of this innovative attempt to transcend racial barriers but also a contribution to the ongoing controversy about the relative importance of race and class in American society.