Impact of a levelled admissions landscape on admissions prospect of minorities

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced that colleges must now share admissions data and demonstrate that they are not factoring race into admissions decisions.

This move stems from the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. Harvard and UNC, which found that using race in admissions decisions discriminated against Asian American applicants and violated the 14th Amendment.

So, what does this mean for future applicants?
With admissions policies now “race-blind,” Asian American students will no longer face an elevated bar. But for other demographic groups, this may translate into increased competition and a slightly reduced probability of acceptance.

As both an educator and a former applicant, here’s my concern:
By removing race as a factor, admissions may unintentionally overlook the socioeconomic disparities, support systems, and structural inequities that shape students’ opportunities. The risk? A significant decline in campus diversity, which could ripple across academia, industry, and innovation at large.