For the most part, women are still employed in traditionally female occupations which require little or no mathematics training. The presence and seeming acceptance of confined, low-status occupations for women represent an enormous loss of economic and intellectual potential for the individual woman and for society as a whole. This study examines the effects of various background, high school, and socio-psychological factors on the mathematics-related attainment of Hispanic, black, and white women. To estimate the contribution of the factors in explaining the variance in mathematics-related attainment, the following variables are considered in a structural equations model: socioeconomic status; high school experience, composed of the number of high school mathematics and science courses, and curriculum; high school achievement, including a mathematics ability score, high school class rank, and academic self-concept; psychological self-concept; perceived college influence of parents, teachers/counselors, and peers; educational and occupational expectations; mathematics-related college experience; sex-role orientation; and family status. The data are provided by the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS), a longitudinal nationwide survey which follows the progress of high school students to adulthood. Questionnaires were administered to the subjects in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1976; the overall response rate was 85%. The sample consists of all women who declared a college major for at least two years between 1972 and 1976 (an average of 146 Hispanic, 543 black, and 2918 white women). Descriptive analyses provide group profiles; path analysis techniques are used to compare the influence each of the variables has within and across the three groups. Results indicate that the model explains 46%, 49%, and 52% of the variance for Hispanics, blacks, and whites, respectively; however, the components of the model operate differently for each group. For Hispanic women, educational expectations exert the greatest influence, followed by mathematics-related experience, high school experience, and significant others' perceived college influence. Mathematics-related experience has the greatest total effect for black women, followed by high school experience, high school achievement, and educational expectations; family status has a significant negative direct effect. Mathematics-related experience is also first for whites women, whereas educational expectations is second, high school achievement is third, and socioeconomic status is fourth: additionally, sex-role orientation has a significant direct effect. It is suggested that intervention programs should be designed to address the varying needs of each group of college-bound women and to increase the level of mathematics so that all women, and thus society, can realize their educational and occupational potential. / Ph. D.