For the 2023-24 college admissions cycle and the foreseeable future, universities no longer consider race as a standalone factor in college applications.
On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court announced the repeal of affirmative action in the Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard case (2023), becoming widely known by students nationwide. In a 6-3 decision, affirmative action was deemed as an unconstitutional policy based on the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
The notion of affirmative action is designed to prevent unlawful discrimination against American minorities and to promote opportunities that guarantee minorities equal access to a broad spectrum of areas including jobs, educational opportunities and government support packages.
“Nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected the applicant’s life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university,” Supreme Court Justice John Roberts said.
This was a conclusion acting as a guide for students to use as they decide the impact of race in their personal statements.
Many wonder how the absence of race in the admission of college applicants will play a role in campus diversity.
According to the Harvard Crimson, “In 1996, California voters approved a ballot measure that barred the state’s public universities from considering race, ethnicity, and gender in college admissions. Following this ban on affirmative action, the University of California (UC) system experienced a significant drop in racial diversity on its campuses.”
In order to capture a holistic view of the student, colleges continue to accept racial discussion in personal statements and essays. Applicants are encouraged to utilize their race to highlight how their life circumstances build upon their character.
Affirmative action was initially created to protect underrepresented groups regarding gender, race and ethnicity. It granted these groups equitable access to quality education and employment.
What this repeal means for future college applicants worries some, while it brings hope to others here at Woodbridge High.
“Admitting students based [on] their academic achievement and personal achievement is going to make [college programs] flourish even more,” junior Aarushi Ghildyal said.
Students across different grades share similar opinions.
“I think academics should be more prioritized than race because a lot of great students put work into accomplishing those achievements, and deserve to go to a great school,” senior Alexis Natividad said.
Some students believe that integrating equity into schooling systems is imperative in setting students up for success in their future careers.
“I am not completely opposed to affirmative action at the same time because I do think there needs to be more movement toward equity,” senior Keren Brown said.
Furthermore, Brown expands on how the repeal of affirmative action continues to shape students’ outlook on college applications and career choices
“Different people have different resources and because we don’t all start on the same level, some of us should have more chances,” Brown said.
The Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) promotes diversity on all campuses and will continue to do so even after the repeal of affirmative action.
Woodbridge High counselor Elizabeth Taylor expands on the importance of student diversity and how IUSD hopes to improve all schools across Irvine.
“I can speak on behalf of Irvine Unified School District for now, but I think [there] is a focus on equity and access. I think we are continuously reviewing our programs to ensure that we are as inclusive as possible with students from all over the world and within our state directly,” Taylor said.
“We want to [make] sure that we pave a way so that we do not create barriers for students…we want our students to know that all of these experiences are attainable for them,” Taylor said.
Woodbridge High students and staff are hopeful that IUSD will continue to adapt to societal change and implement methods to enhance equitable educational access.
Institutions of education, like IUSD, are working on ways to practice equality when choosing individuals and recognizing race’s impact on one’s identity.
California legislation has made efforts to continue its race-neutral alternatives, or different approaches to level the playing field for all college applicants.
It aims to provide a holistic review of all applications and continue its top-percent programs across all high schools.
Additionally, UCs and others are going test blind for the 2023-2024 school year and eliminating legacy admissions to combat unfair admissions.
“[Colleges and universities] should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experiences that reflect all of America,” President Joe Biden said.
The overturn of this 40-plus-year policy encourages Woodbridge High students, staff, and state and federal policy-makers to shine a brighter and more hopeful light on how the schools can move forward.
“We need to keep an open door of opportunities. We need to remember that diversity is our strength. We have to find a way forward,” Biden said.
