A dissertação trata dos cursinhos pré-vestibulares alternativos existentes no Município de São Paulo na década de 1990. Essas organizações surgiram no momento em que o Ensino Médio mais que dobrou sua matrícula, incorporando a camada social mais pobre da população. Procurando garantir o ingresso desses alunos no Ensino Superior, tais pré-vestibulares, além de oferecer o curso a preços populares, passaram a lutar por políticas de ação afirmativa que garantissem a igualdade no acesso, em especial para os alunos da rede pública e estudantes afrodescendentes. A pressão exercida já produziu alguns resultados, como a isenção de taxa em alguns exames seletivos e um maior debate sobre a desigualdade no acesso das universidades públicas. Observou-se em especial as alterações no vestibular da USP, já que esta concentra o maior número de vagas públicas daquele Município.

This dissertation takes as subject the popular preparatory courses for university entrance set in the city of São Paulo in the decade of 1990. Such organisations were established when middle and high school education started to embody a larger number of people coming from the lower income population. During this period school enrolment increased to more than twice the rate observed in the previous period. Aiming to assure students of lower income could access higher education, popular preparatory courses, besides charging lower prices for their services, began to claim for affirmative action policies. Such policies should provide social equality regarding public universities’ accessibility, especially to students coming from public schools and afro-descents. Political pressure as engendered by that movement has already achieved some results, such as exemption of inscription fees for some entrance examination and a more intensive social debate on the present inequality concerning access to public universities. Changes occurred in the entrance examination for the University of São Paulo (USP) deserve special remark, since this institution concentrates the highest number of public vacancies within the above-mentioned city.