Colleges may find ways around Affirmative Action ban.

The Future of College Admissions: Supreme Court Ruling Shakes Up the Process

The admissions process at many American colleges and universities is set to undergo a significant transformation following a recent Supreme Court ruling. On June 29, the court overturned the practice of considering race as a broad factor in selecting incoming students, a practice that has long been in place.

The ruling, known as Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, has left legal experts uncertain about its full implications. However, one thing is clear: institutions of higher learning will now need to find alternative methods to achieve their goal of creating a diverse student body.

The Supreme Court ruling was applied to two separate cases—one against Harvard, a private institution, and the other against the University of North Carolina, a public school. In both cases, plaintiffs alleged that white and Asian applicants were discriminated against in favor of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students. The plaintiffs presented data showing that Black students were admitted at a much higher rate, despite having similar GPAs and test scores as Asian students.

Previously, colleges could consider race as one factor among many in their admissions process to promote diversity. However, the court held that the policies of Harvard and the University of North Carolina did not meet the necessary tests and were deemed to engage in stereotyping.

While the ruling will not affect fall 2023 admissions, colleges and universities that wish to maintain their current admissions policies and racial balances will likely seek alternative approaches. One option could be to prioritize admission for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, which would indirectly benefit students of color who are overrepresented in this demographic.

Shaping the Student Body

Colleges often accept more students than they can enroll, and financial aid packages play a crucial role in determining enrollment. This provides a second opportunity to shape the racial makeup of the student body. Some colleges may admit more Asian American students but limit the amount of financial aid awarded, effectively pricing them out of attendance.

Support for minority applicants also plays a role in their decision to enroll. Many minority students lack family support and may be first-generation college students. To attract a higher number of these students, colleges often provide on-campus support programs, counseling services, and assistance with work-study programs or financial aid applications.

Legacy Policies and Economic Discrimination

Critics of affirmative action argue that economic discrimination is widely accepted in college admissions. While race-based considerations are now limited, colleges may still use legacy policies to give preference to applicants with family ties to the institution. Additionally, some experts suggest that colleges may adopt programs that prioritize admission for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, indirectly benefiting students of color.