This paper examines the following issue: Is the process of educational attainment the same for both whites and Mexican Americans, or does it differ? Two possible explanations for why mean differences exist in educational outcomes for whites and Mexican Americans are that either the process of educational attainment varies between the two groups, or if the process is invariant, one group starts with social advantages not shared by the other group. Data for the study were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. The basic model of educational attainment used in the analysis considers education to be a function of father's occupational status, father's education, mother's education, number of siblings, sex, ability, academic preparation, and college plans. An examination of these variables indicates that there are more similarities between the two groups than there are differences. There are some differences, but it cannot be said that they consistently favor or disfavor either group. For example, for neither group is the effect of father's occupation statistically significant. For Mexican Americans the influence of father's education is nearly twice that exhibited among whites, but the influence of mother's education among Mexican Americans is negligible. The overall impression of the study is that the process of educational attainment may differ between the two groups, but not a degree worthy of much notice. (Author/RM)