In the United States, there are approximately 400,000 foster youth. The state of California accounts for approximately 20% percent of youth placed in the foster care system. As a whole, this population is exposed to a multitude of risk factors while placed in the foster care system and as they emancipate. Re-victimization is not uncommon as youth exit the system. Thus, educational attainment and socio-emotional development are often negatively compromised by involvement with the foster care system. Historically, research on foster youth has focused primarily on risk factors, with limited research on protective factors for foster youth. This qualitative study examined the relationship between motivation and protective factors facilitating educational attainment in former foster youth. Research has reflected that former foster youth typically have dismal academic achievement. Nearly 25-50% of foster youth do not graduate from high school. Furthermore, only 3 to 6% graduate from college. The purpose of this dissertation study was to address this less extensively studied area--protective factors promoting academic achievement and social development in foster youth. Additionally, foster youths' motivational characteristics were examined in relation to educational achievement. The underlying theoretical framework in this study was Bandura's social cognitive theory. The qualitative data were collected through individual interviews with two subject populations: (a) four former foster youth, and (b) four mentors of foster youth. Each of the former foster youth participants', in this study, were attending a four-year university or had graduated from a four-year university. This study found that the former foster youths' educational trajectory was strongly influenced by their academic self-regulation and self-efficacy. Additionally, this study found that mentors' connection to youth was of paramount importance in shaping educational and career opportunities for youth as they entered adulthood. [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.]