Academic socialization is a process whereby students acquire the competencies necessary to function in the classroom. Academic competencies include not only a high level of proficiency in English, critical thinking skills, and the ability to control the relationship between language and logic, but also social and cultural skills. Although academic performance as measured by standardized tests has enjoyed the attention of researchers, less frequently discussed in the literature are the sociocultural abilities and knowledge required for school success that are obtained through parental mentoring. This paper describes the academic socialization of some Chicano and Anglo high school students in an urban Colorado community, and investigates the process through which they acquired the necessary competencies required to succeed in school. The paper focuses on the way parents function as agents of academic socialization, especially in their role as mentors. Data are presented on three tables. A 40-item list of references is included. (BJV)