Using a person-oriented approach, we explored patterns of self-esteem and achievement among 324 Black college students across the freshman college year and identified four academic identification profiles. Multivariate analyses revealed profile differences in academic and psychological outcomes at beginning and end of freshman year (academic contingencies of self-esteem, anxiety, depressive symptoms, perceived stress), suggesting different conditions under which connections between self-esteem and achievement relate to positive or negative adjustment. Results also suggested a strong, positive racial group identification supports psychologically adaptive connections between self-esteem and achievement. Findings highlight challenges and benefits of connecting self-esteem to achievement for Black college students, heterogeneity within this population, and the relevance of considering race and cultural factors when studying achievement motivation processes among Black students.