How did the Supreme Court rule in the case in which Allan Bakke sued the University of California? A. It decided that Allan Bakke should not be admitted to the school because he was unqualified. B. It said that race cannot play a role in the admissions process. C. It determined race may be a factor when admitting students, but not the only factor. D. It ruled that the Equal Protection Clause had not been violated.

Correct answer:

C. It determined that race may be a factor when admitting students, but not the only factor.

Details:

The Supreme Court's decision gave some credence to Allan Bakke's claim that the University of California at Davis had practiced some amount of reverse discrimination in denying him admittance to the medical school because he was not an economically or educationally disadvantaged member of one of four racial/ethnic groups eligible for their special admission program.  But the Court was careful to note that race could be considered as a factor (among many factors) in college admissions, if  schools practiced great care in doing so.  Having a basic quota system, such as UC Davis reserving 16 spots out of 100 each year, was considered discriminatory.

The essence of the decision in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) was that the Court upheld affirmative action.  It allowed race to be considered as one of several factors in college admission policy.  But establishing specific racial quotas was an approach that the Court said was not allowable.  

The Supreme Court (c) determined race may be a factor when admitting students, but not the only factor. It upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy, not just to fulfill a quota.