As December cold creeps in and high school seniors begin completing their college applications, there is an undeniable sense of uncertainty in the Class of 2024’s admissions process. How could there not be, as these students, including myself, stand in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling 6-3 on Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and University of North Carolina (UNC), a June 2023 case that resulted in the end of affirmative action in college admissions?

Affirmative action “refers to any set of policies in place to ensure equal opportunity and prevent discrimination based on a broad range of identities”. In college admission, it means that the admission officer will consider race when deciding acceptances. This practice usually results in underrepresented minorities, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous Americans being advantaged in undergraduate/graduate admission, while White and especially Asian Americans (who are overrepresented in higher education) are put at a disadvantage. This fact ultimately drew criticism for violating the 14th Amendment, which provides citizens “equal protection under the laws”, and influenced the court’s decision to do away with it.

As a mixed Asian and White American planning to apply to some of the nation’s top universities, the news should be comforting. The decision means that there is one less factor working against me in college admission, and the school of my dreams might be that much more in my reach. 

But, even with all of that in mind, I still cannot help but mourn the loss of affirmative action. 

I still cannot help but mourn the loss of affirmative action. 

Affirmative action exists because of the historical overlooking of minorities, which put them at a significant disadvantage in building wealth compared to their white counterparts. It is a tool to rectify this mistake, and we are still not so far from this past; it is only a few decades since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and his dream of a non-segregated society. To deny our past is to risk forgetting it. Critics of affirmative action worry about unfairness and violation of the 14th Amendment but misunderstand the context of the Amendment and its purpose of diversity. 

And though diversity is a plus, race has never been the only factor in modern college admissions. Critics worry about accepted applicants being “unqualified” but little data supports that droves of unqualified applicants are getting in because of their race. Even with increased diversity and affirmative action efforts from Harvard, the class of 2023 reported having an average unweighted GPA of 3.95, a SAT score of 1523, and 2+ leadership positions, and these standards have done nothing but get more competitive through the years. If affirmative action had allowed unqualified applicants to get in, this competition surely would have died down. 

It’s also important to consider the nature of college admission. The fact of the matter is that there is no lack of colleges in America- the majority admit most students who apply, regardless of race. Affirmative action is mostly seen at elite colleges with acceptance rates of 25% or less- colleges, whose populations make up only 6% of total college students in America. 

Therefore, it seems discussions around affirmative action are highly hypothetical, often starring high-achieving kids who think they should’ve gotten into schools where no one’s spot is guaranteed. I’ve seen many shift the blame away from their extracurriculars, essays, or interviews and onto affirmative action, blaming their race instead of any of the many other factors admissions use to decide acceptances, unable to “take the blame”. 

Elitism drives the so-called victims of this phenomenon: I’ve seen them regard their commitments to non-elite schools like a death sentence, disregarding the educational opportunities that might be found somewhere just because they aren’t “Top 20 Schools”, despite the fact one can be successful after graduating from anywhere. Though elite colleges do provide some additional opportunities, one should not base their entire success on the college they go to. Mentality drives success, not alma maters. 

Past the individuals behind these discussions, it’s been proven that facilitating diversity is a worthwhile task for educational spaces. Researchers find that people in diverse communities are less prejudiced and have greater general well-being: in a highly divided America, adding more diverse perspectives to university communities could help fight unconscious bias and leave students from all different groups with a better understanding of the world around them.

Affirmative action isn’t only for the kids getting accepted; it’s for the betterment of education in and outside the classroom. 

Private colleges should have a right to preserve this power and therefore allow for more interesting conversations and more thoughtful solutions. Ultimately, affirmative action isn’t only for the kids getting accepted; it’s for the betterment of education in and outside the classroom. 

As a Mexican-American, it may seem like I would be in favor of affirmative action and the benefits it will bring to college admissions. However, I have grown to appreciate the removal of affirmative action even if it makes it slightly harder for me to get into some top universities than it previously was. 

Although there is no lack of colleges in the United States for Americans to apply to regardless of race. I believe that the elite colleges that are in favor of affirmative action can be the most important to get into even if it only affects such a small percentage of college students in America. 

There's a strong relationship between attending an elite school and being successful. While only 2%-5% of all US undergraduates graduate from top schools, 38% of Fortune 500 company CEOs and 44.8% of billionaires graduated from elite institutions. There is a link between success and these elite colleges.

There is a link between success and these elite colleges.

So why separate the United States more and more by focusing on race rather than other factors that would benefit one student over the other like wealth? I understand that colleges do also look into the wealth of the students when considering them but I believe it should be a larger factor to consider rather than race in college admissions. Both of my parents are Mexican immigrants and I have never felt like I have had a disadvantage because of the color of my skin however I see economic privilege having a larger effect on success than those born into wealthier families. Children from families in the top 1% financially are more than twice as likely to attend an elite university than those from middle-class families. 

It may be true that some students blame too much on affirmative action, however, I have seen this going both ways: many students blame society's oppression and their race as a factor for why they didn't get into an elite school also shifting the blame from extracurriculars, essays, etc…

Although there may be other educational opportunities for students to take, that opportunity is given to all people so why did we still factor race into elite schools if “one can be successful after graduating from anywhere”?

Diversity can play a huge role in conversation as everyone has a different perspective on life because of the culture or place that they were born and raised in, However, colleges continue to push for more and more “safe spaces” for students of specific cultures which doesn't seem like that would create diverse perspectives or conversations if colleges push for a separation of diversity regardless. 

“College is meant to be a melting pot of cultures and perspectives. It is meant to be a place where students can harness free speech and broaden their horizons by exposing themselves to unique views whether liberal or conservative. This is what is meant to open their minds and prepare them for the professional world. However, the exact opposite has been happening in the past few years. Students nowadays have developed a need to be protected from words and ideas that they deem hurtful or unacceptable — a trend that is now becoming more known as the coddling of the American mind (Lukianoff & Haidt, 2015).”

Although I agree that affirmative action was once needed it truly seems like it is no longer needed as many minorities have started and/or have been building wealth. For example, my family was not born in the United States and they never saw their race as a disadvantage as they were still able to become very successful. Between 2016 and 2019, median wealth rose for all race and ethnicity groups (Figure 2). Growth rates for the 2016–19 period were faster for Black and Hispanic families, rising 33 and 65 percent, respectively, compared to White families, whose wealth rose 3 percent, and other families, whose wealth rose 8 percent.

If we look to improve the mistakes that were once committed in the United States it is important to ensure equality in every way shape or form. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. even stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” So if we look to improve the mistakes that were once committed in the United States it is important to ensure equality in every way shape or form.