The Supreme Court has recently struck down affirmative action programs at universities in the United States. In two cases brought before them, the majority of justices ruled that the programs violated the Equal Protection Clause of the constitution.
What is Affirmative Action?
In short, affirmative action is a set of policies that aim to increase the number of minority students on campus. Universities claim that these policies are meant to promote a more diverse student body, which benefits all students on campus. This has been part of the admissions process since 1978.
What Happened?
In the case against Harvard, the justices voted 6-2 against affirmative action. In the case against the University of North Carolina, they voted 6-3 against.
This decision means that universities may no longer systemically consider race as a factor in the admissions process.
The decision was highly controversial. Most selective universities were disappointed with the outcome, as they believe that considering race is a critical tool to ensure diversity on campus.
What Now?
Race will no longer be systemically considered as part of the admissions process. This doesn’t meant that students cannot mention their race in parts of their application, it simply means that universities cannot consider race as a factor in the admissions process on its own.
They may, however, consider how race has affected a student’s life and experiences. This would be more than just considering race alone.
So, in light of this decision, the guidance for students of color is to speak about the role that race has played in their lives in the personal statement or other essays.
Most universities will still try to build diverse classes. Students will now have to speak more about how race has played an important role in their lives, how it has shaped them.
With the removal of affirmative action (and the shift away from standardized testing, among other changes), the application essays are becoming more important than ever. Make sure you are well prepared to write high quality essays that set you apart from the crowd.
All the best,
American College Counselors
P.S. We offer a number of free resources to guide students through the writing process. Check out a few of our popular blog posts:
We also offer personalized, one-on-one essay guidance (including brainstorming, outlining, and editing).