Previous work on racial opportunity cost—that is, the price that students of color pay in their pursuit of academic success—is extended here using organizational culture literature to more closely explore the interplay of school culture with the racial opportunity cost experienced by the study participants. Eighteen African American and Latina/o underclassmen at two elite private colleges were interviewed about their experiences as high-achieving students of color in high school and college. Our analysis of the data revealed five interrelated school factors that both alleviated and exacerbated students’ racial opportunity cost. Findings regarding the critical influence of school culture on students’ experiences highlight the importance of school leaders creating supportive, whole school cultures to foster school engagement and academic achievement for all students.
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