The facts of the Bakke case, points of agreement and disagreement, and implications are addressed. Although the case technically involves only the validity of denying Bakke admission to medical school in 1974, it has become a class action for the decision of large questions of constitutional law with possible enormous impact on higher education and other areas of affirmative action. Bakke alleged violation of equal protection provisions, since he was denied admission to the University of California (Davis) medical school although his test scores and grade point average were higher than most or all the 16 minority applicants who were accepted under a Task Force Program. It is suggested that there is general agreement that the case is important to higher education, that racism persists in the United States, that minorities are seriously underrepresented in higher education, that some preference must be continued if the present proportion of minorities in selective institutions is to be maintained, that the admissions process is imperfect and test scores ano grade point averages are mechanical standards, and that the Davis medical school did not accept any applicants who were not qualified. The following points of disagreement are noted: whether the Constitution permits taking race or ethnic background into account in admissions decisions; whether alternatives to preferential admission, including enlarging medical schools and increasing recruitment efforts, are workable; and the impact a denial of preferential admission would have on affirmative action programs and on race relations generally. (SW)