African American male college students are graduating at rates lower than their White male college counterparts. This epidemic is a result of the historical implications of institutional racism within American society. Despite these barriers, there are African American males that achieve academically and graduate college. This phenomenological study focused on how college preparation, resilience, academic self-concept, racial and ethnic identity, socio-economic status, and campus climate affect the academic achievement and retention of African American male sophomore college students. Nine African American male college students were interviewed. The semi-structured interview protocol questions were developed based on the research literature regarding the seven dimensions. The results indicated that college preparation, knowledge of self, racial and ethnic resiliency, and campus climate were the strongest predictors of academic achievement and retention. [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.]