The current study aims to contribute to knowledge by examining the effects of high school and college relative standings on the self-esteem and academic self-concepts of Texas college students. Texas is a special context for high school students where class rank is especially salient. Currently, high school graduates within the top 6% of their graduating class are automatically admitted to the University of Texas at Austin, as required by Texas law (House Bill 588). Given this admission policy that emphasizes high school graduation rank, social comparisons and relative standings are particularly important for Texas high school and college students. Social comparison and the big fish little pond (BFLP) effects are related psychological processes that are thought to influence the self-esteem and academic self-concepts of students. Social comparison effects are those that result when individual students compare themselves to other individual students. The BFLP effect, on the other hand, represents comparisons of the ranks of individual students within their social groups. Based on social comparison and BFLP theories, students' class rank and perceived relative standings within peer groups are relevant to their self-esteem and academic self-concept. This study tested 11 hypotheses about high school factors, relative standings, and college self-evaluations outcomes. The results showed that college students who perceived themselves to rank relatively higher in peer groups and who had higher socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds reported better self-esteem and academic self-concepts. In addition, an indirect association was found between high school graduating class rank and college self-evaluations that was mediated by perceived college relative standing. Students from smaller high school graduating classes were found to have better self-esteem in college. Students who took more AP classes in high school were found to perceive themselves standing relatively higher in college. The current study also considered the influence of social media use on the effect of high school experiences on college self-esteem and academic self-concepts. Social media tie strength with high school peers and friends was expected to amplify the effects of high school factors on college outcomes. Consistent with this view, students who reported stronger social media ties with high school peers and friends had better self-evaluations in college. Social media tie strength also amplified the school size effect: Students from smaller high school had better self-esteem in college when they maintained strong ties with high school contacts on social media. Finally, the current study examined different combinations of high school and college relative standings using Latent Profile Analysis (LCA) in order to determine if groups of students varied in terms of their high school background, and also in terms of their self-esteem and academic self-concept in college. Results found students who ranked high in their high school graduating class, but low in college reported worse college self-esteem and academic self-concept than students in other latent groups. These students also reported lower SES on average. [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.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]