Abstract

For almost a decade, Affirmative Action has been at the center of controversial debates regarding its legality. Empirical research on Affirmative Action has indicated findings both for and against the policy. Opponents of Affirmative Action argue that the policy provides rewards and privileges to students based on their race, and that these students misuse the opportunities that are given to them by the policy. Instead, opponents to Affirmative Action think that these privileges must be merit-based and given to students who are better prepared and can take advantage of such opportunities. Over the history of Affirmative Action, many lawsuits have been filed challenging the policy and forcing some universities to eliminate their race-conscious admission policies. Affirmative Action plays a crucial role in creating racially diverse campuses, and it is very challenging for universities to accept minority applicants without keeping race-based preferences in their admission policies. This paper evaluates the consequences of eliminating Affirmative Action Policy in minority students by looking at data from several states that banned the policy. An assessment of the success of alternative admission policies that were used to substitute Affirmative Action is also presented.