Essay Question: What is the relationship between independent and interdependent sense of self and success in college? American universities increasingly admit first-generation college students whose parents do not have a 4-year degree. Once admitted, these students tend to struggle academically, compared with continuing-generation students - students who at least have 1 parent with a 4-year degree. We propose a cultural mismatch theory. Four studies test the hypothesis that first generation students underperform because interdependent norms form their mostly working class backgrounds constitute a mismatch with middle class-independent norms prevalent in universities First generation students' relatively interdependent motives for attending college and that this cultural mismatch is associated with lower grades. College acceptance letters targeted toward a more independent, individualistic, middle class motives, rather than with the interdependent colectivist values