This paper aims to explain production of academic success at São Paulo Federal Technical School - (Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo). The specific purpose is to inquire on how the school admission test produces an austere selection a priori from a public highly susceptible to the institution educational action, and interpreting on how specific families' trajectories stimulate students constantly overcoming themselves and a high investment towards academic achievements. A motivation analysis was carried out and models formulated by agents concerning to study and family history, as well as ethos school investment of these youths in order to determine a lifestyle and a detailed masculinity pattern. This pattern is manifested in the school identities of the nerd and the prodigy, which school effort is valued and accepted by pairs. To perform this research, in-depth with 21 students, a total of 257 were interviewed, selected from a survey applied to high school third year seniors.
academic success; middle classes; families; school identities
