Affirmative Action vs. Race-Neutral Admissions_ A Case Study _ WSJ

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Admissions and Diversity

  • Different approaches have been taken towards college admissions for over 50 years to enhance campus diversity.

  • Race consideration, known as affirmative action, historically common at universities (e.g., UPenn, Harvard).

  • Recent Supreme Court ruling prohibits race consideration in admissions across U.S. colleges.

  • 9 states have banned this practice, with California implementing a ban almost 25 years ago.

• Consequences of Affirmative Action Ban

  • Detailed study available on the effects of California's affirmative action ban.

  • Analyzing academic outcomes before and after 1998 reveals significant insights on statewide impacts.

• Future of Higher Education

  • Discussion on how affirmative action influenced admissions and predictions for higher education without it.

  • Admission processes were previously straightforward, focusing on GPA and test scores.

Chapter 2: Hispanic Students

• Admissions Criteria Pre-Affirmative Action

  • Colleges used minimum GPA/test scores for applicant filtering.

  • Selective schools set higher standards for acceptance.

• Impact of Background on Academic Performance

  • Educational and non-educational investments influenced test scores and grades (household stability, quality of high school, external resources).

  • Higher income households typically produce better test scores, affecting admissions.

• Affirmative Action Inception

  • UC Berkeley's student demographic was under 5% black and Hispanic students in the 1970s due to educational disparities.

  • Affirmative action instituted in the 1980s to diversify applicant pool in California.

• Admission Strategy Evolution

  • Race began to be considered alongside test scores and GPA from the 80s onwards.

  • This policy aimed to create a more equitable admissions process for underrepresented students.

Chapter 3: Asian Students

• Social Diversity Index

  • In the 1990s, some colleges used a social diversity index, assessing income and minority status alongside academic performance.

  • Higher thresholds were set for high-income white applicants compared to low-income minorities.

• Landmark Legal Cases

  • Bakke case in the late 70s challenged the constitutionality of affirmative action, influencing subsequent legal rulings.

  • Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) upheld the nuanced consideration of race in a holistic admissions process.

• Current Admissions Approach

  • Holistic review now incorporates multiple factors, including extracurricular activities, personal essays, and race.

  • Supreme Court rulings now eliminate race from these reviews, citing discrimination concerns.

Chapter 4: Continuing Impact on Minority Students

• Supreme Court Decision Consequences

  • Recent rulings dictate that universities cannot factor race in holistic reviews, necessitating a new admissions framework.

  • California’s experience indicates that maintaining racial diversity without affirmative action is difficult.

• Proposition 209 Impact Study

  • Extensive research by Zach Blamer followed applicants before and after Prop 209 implementation, tracking college enrollment, graduation, and career earnings.

• Enrollment Status Changes

  • Sharp decline in black and Hispanic enrollments at selective institutions post-affirmative action.

  • Minor shifts observed at moderately selective schools, with less selective schools seeing increased enrollments of minorities.

• Consequences of Lower Enrollment in Selective Schools

  • Students transitioning to less selective universities experience decreased likelihood of pursuing STEM degrees and graduate school.

  • Notably, lower career earnings observed among those admitted after Prop 209 compared to predecessors.

Chapter 5: Conclusion

• Consequences of Affirmative Action Bans

  • Affirmative action allows black and Hispanic students to derive significant advantages in elite institutions that are lost without it.

• Race Neutral Admissions Policies

  • Studies indicate that race-neutral alternatives fail to sustain diversity levels achieved by affirmative action policies.

  • Notable declines in black and Hispanic enrollments anticipated in elite schools following the removal of race from admissions criteria.

  • Future enrollment patterns may indicate a regression towards less selective colleges for minority students.

• Challenges for Universities

  • No clear solutions suggested to maintain diversity levels amidst these significant policy changes and anticipated demographic shifts.