This study examined ethnic minority students' reported learning strategies and how they used them to accommodate their perceived learning styles in relation to their educational and occupational goals. The experiences and perceptions of 129 (62 male, 57 female) Montreal (Canada) born grade 11 students of ethnic origin, whose mother-tongue and sociocultural background were other than English or French were surveyed. Eighty-two percent of the students revealed a learning profile of field independence, 77 percent had a low tolerance for experiences divergent from reality, 89 percent used reflection; 91 percent claimed high task persistence, 86 percent reported high anxiety regarding difficult tasks, and 81 percent accepted personal responsibility for success and failure. A majority felt that the teaching style of their teachers was not a match with their individual learning styles and a majority saw this as a reflection of cultural values. The results suggest that the apparent misalignment of teaching and learning styles and the absence of effective learning skills compromised optimal learning and the realization of aspirations by minority students. (Contains nine references.) (JLS)