Is math the key to success in college? A College Board study of 15,941 high school graduates found a strong correlation between how much math minority students took in high school and their later success in college. News articles quoted the head of the College Board as saying that "math is the gatekeeper for success in college."5 Maybe so, but we should also think about lurking variables. What might lead minority students to take more or fewer high school math courses? Would these same factors influence success in college?