- In this article
The Supreme Court ended affirmative action in college admissions. Learn how its end could impact Black and Latino/a students.
By
Vanesha McGee, M.Ed.
Updated on July 13, 2023
Edited by
Cameren Boatner
Reviewed by
Laila Abdalla, Ph.D.
Learn more about
- Affirmative action reduces discrimination in educational and employment settings.
- Affirmative action programs and policies have played a critical role in diversifying higher education.
- The Supreme Court ended college admissions practices that consider applicant race.
- Affirmative action's end will negatively and disproportionately impact Black and Latino/a students.
This year, the ?policies that reduce or seek to remove discrimination in education and employment settings ?in college admissions.
Affirmative action has caused an nationwide. Colleges and universities admitted higher numbers of Black and Latino/a students with . Following the Supreme Court's reversal of affirmative action, we consider the potential effects on Black and Latino/a students.
Janelle Wong, a professor of Asian American studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, shares her views on affirmative action and the impact the could have on students of color, specifically Black and Latino/a students.
What Is Affirmative Action?
Professor Wong describes affirmative action in the context of higher education as "the consideration of race as one of many, many other factors in the admissions process." She goes on to explain that "race can never be the primary factor, and it can never be the only factor in the evaluation of an application."
Affirmative action policies intend to remove discrimination against applicants in educational programs and employment opportunities. In college admissions, can mean increased consideration for viable applicants who are women and people of color.
As Professor Wong notes, "It's important to discuss what affirmative action 'is not' as well." Since its first use in legal documents in 1961, affirmative action to include women, racial **********, and people with disabilities. However, over time these policies have also excluded quota requirements and point systems.
"The legal justifications for the consideration of race in admissions have changed drastically over time," Professor Wong states. "Originally, the consideration of race in admissions was justified as a means of addressing past and present racial discrimination. Over time, however, that justification was rejected."
"As a result of legal challenges conservative activists have made over the past 40 years, affirmative action policies have become more and more restricted over time," Professor Wong further explains.
How Affirmative Action Impacts Students of Color
Affirmative action has played a critical role in diversifying higher education. "Perhaps more critically," Professor Wong expresses, "affirmative action increases access for students who have faced unfair due to racial discrimination and racial segregation."
In 1970, before affirmative action policies became rooted in college admissions, white students made up . By 2020, the percentage of white college students dropped to . According to this recent data, Black students account for about 12% of college enrollment, and Hispanic students account for about 20% of enrollment. Black and Hispanic or Latino/a people make up 13.6% and 18.9% of the , respectively Undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and nonresident alien status: Fall 2009 and fall 2020
Bar chart with 2 data series.
Column chart comparing the average total cost per credit hour at two-year institutions.
View as data table, Undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and nonresident alien status: Fall 2009 and fall 2020
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 42549 to 10859390.
10,859,390?0,859,3902,545,897?,545,8972,354, 413?,354,413187,640?87,640376,490?76,4908 ,115,492?,115,4921,998,541?,998,5413,348,782 ?,348,7821,101,681?,101,68142,549?2,5490 7,264?07,264668,988?68,988468,909?68,9092 0092020WhiteBlackHispanicAsianPacific IslanderAmerican Indian/Alaska NativeTwo or more racesNonresident alien02,000,0004,000,0006,000,0008,000,00010,000,0 0012,000,000Source: NCES
Undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity and nonresident alien status: Fall 2009 and fall 2020
End of interactive chart.
According to a 2013 , admission of students of color declined significantly at schools located in states that limit or ban affirmative action practices.
Students of color, particularly Black and Latino/a students, remain underserved in college admissions. For example, at state universities show lower percentages of Black college students than Black student high school graduates.
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Affirmative Action
The as an inclusive component in college admissions on June 29, 2023. Also called race-conscious admissions policies, affirmative action has been challenged by opponents since its inception.
"In past cases (), the conservative argument has been that race-conscious admissions discriminate against white students," Professor Wong states. The cases on this year's Supreme Court docket are a bit different.
The Supreme Court heard two cases, one involving Harvard and the other UNC-Chapel Hill. Both cases claimed that affirmative action unlawfully discriminates against Asian Americans
This ban on affirmative action will disproportionately impact students of color, particularly Black and Latino/a students.
What Does the End of Affirmative Action Mean?
"Eliminating race-conscious admissions would decimate the numbers of certain students of color, especially Black students, at Harvard," according to .
Ending affirmative action decreases the need for race-conscious admissions policies nationwide. Institutes of higher education would have no legal obligation to consider information about student iden****** such as race, ethnicity, or gender. Without these requirements to improve inclusivity in place, a decline in diverse student populations is expected.
"Analyses of a ban instituted in 1996 on are particularly enlightening because we can see the real-world effects of ending affirmative action on access to education and even wages on different groups of students of color," says Professor Wong.
Wong explains, "Importantly, ending affirmative action at public colleges in California led to negative consequences in terms of both enrollment and wages for Black and Latinx students."
The argument that white and Asian American students are negatively impacted by affirmative action was one core component of the upcoming Supreme Court hearing. However, academics and experts believe that affirmative action does not negatively impact enrollment for white or Asian American students. Additionally, "ending affirmative action does not lead to significant advantages for white and American students," Wong advises.
"Social science research shows that affirmative action benefits all students because a more diverse learning environment is linked to improved learning outcomes," states Professor Wong.
She further explains, "Today, the only viable legal justification for the consideration of race is the 'diversity rationale.' This rationale focuses on the benefits of racial diversity for students of all racial backgrounds in terms of learning outcomes and leadership development."
How Colleges Are Responding
"Colleges largely value diversity in their admissions practices. Because they can no longer consider race as a factor in admissions, they will likely to prevent diversity from plummeting at their institutions.
First, students can still include their race in their college essays if it tells the story of how it impacts their experiences. This means colleges will still know about your race ?you just have to tell them.
Also, colleges will likely switch up how they recruit students. Focusing on a wide range of communities could promote diversity in college's applicant pools.
Some colleges, including and , are already offering free tuition to students whose families make below a certain income. This helps allow for more educational equity, even without affirmative action policies in place.
Frequently Asked Questions About Affirmative Action
What impact was affirmative action designed to have?
Affirmative action was designed to decrease discrimination based on race and gender in the educational and employment sectors. Policies required institutions to admit or hire quotas of individuals of certain racial ethnicities to increase representation. Over time these policies removed quota requirements. Is affirmative action constitutional?
The Supreme Court ruled on June 29, 2023 that affirmative action policies in college admissions are unconstitutional. However, the policies began in the 1970s. Why is affirmative action important?
Affirmative action helps individuals receive equitable access to educational and employment opportunities. The policies in support of affirmative action bring awareness and legal obligation to equity and fairness of admission and hiring. Affirmative action is important because it improves opportunities for racial and other minority groups to attend college, obtain jobs, and advance in career and educational pursuits.
With Contributions By:
Janelle WongJanelle Wong is a Professor of Asian American Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. Explore More College Resources
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