- Although SES had an initial influence, its effect was either reduced or eliminated with the introduction of English proficiency.
- Language attributes proved to be the most important variables predicting friendships with non-Mexican-origin peers.
- Bilingualism may play a prominent role in determining access to social capital.
- Some support for the notion that Mexican-origin high school students with higher grades and higher status expectations will generally have greater social capital than their counterparts with lower grades and expectations.
- Lower SES Spanish-dominant students in our sample have yet to acculturate sufficiently.
- Because of language and cultural barriers, many immigrant are denied opportunities to acquire valued institutional support- even when their consciousness and their effort may reflect and pay tribute to American ideals of hard work and material success.
- When class background and language status corresponds to tracking and course assignments, institutional arrangements may be much more responsible for observed friendship patterns than are purely associational preferences.
- Bilinguals may have special advantages in acquiring the institutional support necessary for school success and social mobility.