Actions Taken or Policy Changes Made by Colleges
After Race-Conscious Admissions Ban
Contributors to this list:
Here’s a running list of specific actions colleges and universities have taken since the SCOTUS decision:
Colleges That Have Ended Legacy Admissions:
Other Concrete Actions Taken:
- Lafayette College Elevates Equity Over Extracurricular Achievements: “In an effort “to create a more equitable admissions process,” Lafayette President Nicole Hurd declared that her college, “will now only consider up to six activities rather than the 10 available through the application form.”
- Wake Forest Launches First-Gen Early-Action Option Action for First-Gen Students: “...as a way to give first-generation students the same admissions opportunities as those from college-educated families. The nonbinding early-action plan will notify first-gen applicants of their admissions decision by Jan. 15, which will give them enough time to weigh other offers before committing.”
- Colleges change or add essay prompts, notably Sarah Lawrence’s new prompt directly citing SCOTUS ruling: “In a 2023 majority decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, ‘Nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected the applicant’s life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the applicant can contribute to the university. Drawing upon examples from your life, a quality of your character, and/or a unique ability you possess, describe how you believe your goals for a college education might be impacted, influenced or affected by the Court’s decision.”
- Northwestern no longer requiring Common App personal statement: “...you should feel free to repurpose essays you’ve written for other applications (including the Common/Coalition Application personal essay, which we no longer require) if they tell the story you’d most like to share.”
- St. John's College launches Discussion-Based Application: “Breaking from conventional norms, the Discussion-Based Application offers a distinct alternative to the traditional written application and is designed to assess prospective students based on their ability to engage in thoughtful, sustained conversation – a hallmark of the St. John’s educational experience.”
- Yale University – Multiple changes described at link — too many to list here — made public as part of their (now) dropped lawsuit from SFFA.