This research uses national survey data from the Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (National Secondary Education Exam-ENEM) in Brazil to explore the impact of racial discrimination on high school students between 2004 and 2008. The analysis shows that being a victim of racism can reduce a student's ENEM scores, as well as diminish the perceived quality of their education. These results suggest that racial discrimination in the school environment can be detrimental to the learning experience and to educational attainment. In addition, the study analyzes the characteristics of students admitted to the University of São Paulo (USP) and finds a great racial disparity in acceptance rates. Those accepted at the University of São Paulo are more likely to be white, to come from high income families, to come from private high schools, to enroll in "cursinho" (prep course) and to have a mother with high educational attainment. Thus, the study concludes that higher education in Brazil is synonymous with elitism and that the lack of accessibility by the general population is an impediment to social mobility, especially to Afro-descendants. This work provides a valuable contribution to both race relation studies and educational attainment research in Brazil and it paves the way for future research on the recent implementation of affirmative action policies in federal Brazilian universities. [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.]