I Am a Student

The extent to which urban adolescents identify themselves as students is examined utilizing content analysis of "Who Am I?" responses. Variations according to race, social status level, and school racial composition are studied. The majority of adolescents, black as well as white, do identify themselves as students, calling into question assertions about adolescent disengagement from the student role. In examining the impact of school racial composition, a "U-shaped" curve is found, indicating that blacks enrolled in either virtually all-black or highly-white schools most frequently identify themselves as students. Implications of these findings for self theory are discussed.