ABSTRACT
This chapter presents Sander’s mismatch theory, as well as the litany of opposition to Sander. Affirmative action in higher education serves two main purposes. One is to provide greater exposure of all historically marginalized groups to the institution of higher education. Another purpose is to provide greater life opportunities to groups that have historically been victimized by a racist society. The chapter shows that a deeper understanding of the experiences of the African American law students critiqued by Sander is essential to understanding Sander’s data and the effects of applying the mismatch theory. The Sander controversy is indicative of the larger debate over affirmative action. While Sander achieved significant attention by contending that affirmative action has worked to the detriment of African Americans, the overwhelming majority of academic researchers have concluded that without affirmative action, the population of African American lawyers would be significantly smaller.
