In the United States, elite colleges and universities have largely been reserved for wealthy, predominantly white Americans, closing off access for students of color. Statutory laws have embedded discriminatory tactics into the admissions process, resulting in students of color remaining underrepresented at top-tier universities. Discriminatory practices mandate the need for institutions to prioritize diversity through affirmative action. If legal battles against affirmative action create bans on the policy, many colleges and universities will remain predominantly white institutions.

This book takes an historical look at the pivotal role affirmative action has played in higher education. It examines the admissions process through the eyes of a beneficiary of affirmative action and is the first text to share insights on the role eligibility plays in allowing universities to consider race in admitting applicants. Detailed are the different types of affirmative action and how some colleges and universities use the policy as a tool to consider race and ethnicity as part of a holistic evaluation of applicants. This work makes the case that race-conscious admissions practices remain necessary in the fight for racial equity in higher education.