Low performance of African American male students in high school math is an ongoing concern of Maryland's public schools. Because disproportionately large numbers of African American male students enroll in Algebra 2 in Grade 11, the use of early academic counseling to promote enrollment in Algebra 2 in Grade 9 and to increase self-regulation may foster success in college-level math. Informed by Ladson-Billing and Tate's critical race theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of early academic counseling on freshman college math placement and the relationship between self-regulation and placement in credit or noncredit courses. A convenience sample of African American male graduates who enrolled in a Maryland community college were asked to complete the Online Motivation Questionnaire. Using a quasi-experimental research design, one group of participants included 18 African American male high school graduates who took Algebra 2 in Grade 9 and the comparison group was 35 African American male graduates who took Algebra 2 in Grade 11. Students in the first group were placed in for-credit math courses at the college level with greater frequency than the second group (?[superscript 2] = 4.11, p < 0.05). When asked to reflect on the task of completing the Accuplacer math placement test, lower self-regulatory skills were observed for the second group (t = 2.84, p = 0.008). The study project builds into the Algebra 2 curriculum by adding an instructional unit on circular functions as a missing preparation for college-level math. It will be assessed by comparing Accuplacer pretest and posttest diagnostic scores. The study may contribute to positive social change by increasing the early enrollment of African American male students in Algebra 2 in Maryland schools and overall student success in college math placement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]