Understanding Affirmative Action in Higher Education

Hey y'all, I've heard a lot about affirmative action in the college admissions process but I'm still a little bit confused about what it is and how it impacts students applying for college. Can someone explain what affirmative action is and how it influences our chances of getting into colleges? Thanks for the help!

Affirmative action was a policy that aimed to increase diversity in higher education by considering factors such as race, ethnicity, and gender in the admissions process. The goal was to provide underrepresented students with equal opportunities in higher education and to create a more diverse student body, which could lead to a more inclusive and enriching learning environment.

However, in June 2023, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, stating that colleges may no longer practice race-conscious admissions. This decision effectively ended the use of race, ethnicity, and gender as explicit factors in the admissions process. As a result, colleges have had to adapt their admissions strategies to comply with the ruling.

While colleges can no longer use race as an explicit factor, they can still consider how an applicant's racial background may have impacted them as individuals. For example, if a student discusses how their racial or ethnic identity has shaped their experiences or caused hardships in a college essay, the admissions committee can still take these factors into account when evaluating the application.

It's important to note that selective colleges still value diversity and will continue to seek ways to build a diverse student body under the new legal framework. They may focus more on factors such as socioeconomic background, geographic diversity, and personal experiences to create a diverse environment.

To sum up, affirmative action as it was once practiced no longer exists in the college admissions process. However, colleges are still committed to building diverse student bodies and will consider other factors along with a student's academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and personal qualities. Keep in mind that college admissions remain holistic, meaning that each applicant is evaluated based on their unique circumstances and experiences.