The Shape of the River: Long Term Consequences of Considering Race in College and University Admissions - Review

Black Issues in Higher Education, Dec 24, 1998 by Michele N-K Collison, Cheryl D. Fields

The Shape of the River' Long Term Consequences of Considering Race in College and University Admissions by Derek Bok and Dr. William G. Bowen, Princeton University Press, $22.75, 384 pages.

Released last fall, this book offers a wealth of data and anecdotal evidence to support the idea that affirmative action practices have played a significant and essential role in granting African Americans access to the credentialed classes. The book is based on data collected in the College and Beyond study, which was funded by the Mellon Foundation from 1994-97. The authors conduct a detailed qualitative analysis of the data as well as examine admissions practices, enrollment, and graduation trends among 28 of the nation's most selective colleges and universities. They also compare the career and lifestyle trends among the Black and White alumni of these institutions as well as their attitudes about diversity. It is a must-read for anyone whose scholarship or professional activities relate to these issues.