Wesleyan University ends legacy admissions after Supreme Court bans affirmative action
Jeremiah Poff
Video Embed
Wesleyan University, a Connecticut-based liberal arts college, announced Wednesday that it will no longer consider an applicant’s family history at the school when making admissions decisions, a practice known as legacy admissions.
In a statement to the university community, Wesleyan president Michael Roth said the school would be eliminating legacy admissions in light of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action last month.
BIDEN TAKES NEW ACTION ON JUNK FEES, FOOD PRICES, AND CORPORATE MERGERS
“In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action, we believe it important to formally end admission preference for ‘legacy applicants,'” Roth said. “We still value the ongoing relationships that come from multi-generational Wesleyan attendance, but there will be no “bump” in the selection process. As has been almost always the case for a long time, family members of alumni will be admitted on their own merits.”
The practice of admitting students to universities due to their familial connections to the institution has drawn renewed scrutiny following the Supreme Court’s ruling, which barred schools from considering a student’s race when making admissions decisions. Critics have noted that, much like race-based admissions, legacy admissions reward applicants for characteristics beyond their control.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
In his announcement of the new policy, Roth said that Wesleyan had never “fixated” on racial identity or family legacy when making admissions decisions.
“It is important to underscore that Wesleyan has never fixated on a checked box indicating a student’s racial identification or family affiliations,” he said. “We have long taken an individualized, holistic view of an applicant’s lived experience — as seen through the college essay, high school record, letters of recommendation, and interactions with our community. Our admission decision is based upon diverse facets of the individual’s history, talent, potential to contribute to the university and get the most out of a Wesleyan education.”