The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) was established for the sake of students who might not qualify for higher education through regular channels because of their previous financial and scholastic disadvantages. The issue is whether or not EOP is successful in recruiting and developing disadvantaged but high potential students. This report compares EOP and non-EOP children of black, Asian, and white American parents on such variables as family relations, motivation toward learning, achievement, self-concept, political awareness, and social participation. Also, attitudinal changes of EOP students before entering the program and after completing one year will be examined. The research reported was pursued in the framework of motivation toward learning. Motivation is affected by various social factors. It is expected that EOP students, in contrast to non-EOP students, are likely to: (1) show lower motivation toward learning; (2) have lower self-esteem; and, (3) feel powerless in controlling their environment, and hence be politically and socially apathetic. If EOP is effectively operated, it should produce students who are highly motivated, and politically and socially conscious. Although most of the EOP students are from ethnic minority groups, the behavior of low-income students is by no means homogeneous. Attitudes toward education and punishment for failure vary among ethnic groups. (Author/JM)