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| Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut has a long tradition of recruiting diverse classes. This is subject to change after the Supreme Court decision. Bea Oyster |
In 1964, Wesleyan University contacted and persuaded 400 black high school students across the country to apply, hoping to dispel its image as the privileged corridor of wealthy white families.
This outreach will help establish the university's commitment to diversity by enrolling what has become known as Wesleyan's “Pioneer” class—one Latino student and thirteen black students. help. help. It was helpful. It was helpful. I was. I was.
Nearly 60 years later, such recruitment is facing an existential crisis.
In the lawsuit against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, it is widely expected that the Supreme Court will withdraw or withdraw the affirmative action regarding college admissions. Many education experts believe that such decisions would not only lead to changes in access, but also to a variety of schools, including those aimed at reaching out to specific racial and ethnic groups for scholarships and honors. I believe that this will lead to a better school. Programs, and Recruitment.
These cuts could help spur universities to end other admissions practices that critics say have historically benefited the wealthy. There is also pressure to complete an early decision to accept applicants before the deadline.
University officials caution that there is no way of knowing how far-reaching the court's decision will be.
"Most people think about the admissions process at a selective institution," he said.
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| The university argued that diversity is important to learning, drawing skepticism from the overwhelming majority of conservatives in court in October. Bea Oyster |
The lawsuit against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina was first filed in 2014 by the anti-affirmative action group Student for Fair Admissions. In this lawsuit, the university prioritized blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans and expelled white and North Carolina students. I insisted. They said they were trying to discriminate against American students. He claimed that he discriminated against applicants of Asian descent.
Recent polls show that most people don't think colleges and universities should consider race or ethnicity in their admission decisions.
If the courts rule as expected, classes admitted in the fall of 2024 could be very different, educators said.
Angel B. Perez, CEO of the National College Admissions Counseling Association, said:
Granger, who is also president of the College Admissions Counseling Association, said she hopes to see changes at the college level as well, noting a decline in applications after statewide bans on affirmative action in Michigan and California. pointed out. For this reason, some students in underrepresented groups may simply not apply. He said.
The institutions most likely to be dramatically affected are the 200 universities that are considered 'selective'. That is, accept less than 50% of her applicants. For a small, highly selective liberal arts college like Wesleyan, the impact on college culture is particularly pronounced. Professors at these dense campuses say their small classes thrive on interaction by diverse student groups.
His group of 33 of those schools filed a complaint with the Supreme Court in August. Some of them had graduated black students even before the Civil War.
“The odds of a black applicant receiving an offer of admission dropped to half that of white students, and the percentage of black students enrolling dropped from about 7.1% of all students to 2.1% for him,” Brief said. said. “The level of the 1960s,” he says.
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| Wesleyan and a growing number of universities no longer require standardized entrance exams. Bea Oyster |
Some schools, including Wesleyan, say they want to offset some of the impacts of the Supreme Court ruling by increasing support for underserved communities. However, what they can do may be limited.
According to Dr. Perez, courts may ban universities from purchasing lists of potential applicants that focus on race or ethnicity.
The "fly-ins" that sure students can pay to visit the campus can also face challenges. So are scholarship programs for students of color.
“Where do all the fly-in programs, scholarship programs, and partnerships with churches and community organizations end up?” Dr. Perez asked.
At the University of Connecticut, Granger accepts students from primarily underserved groups. Diversity is a leadership program. Said.
Kenneth L. Marcus, an education official in the Trump administration, said many admissions practices that benefit certain racial groups might violate several provisions of the Civil Rights Act. rice field. Paddy field.
To avoid legal problems, many of these programs expand eligibility, for applicants who are the first in their families to enter college.
But even under these standards, "middle-class white students would, in principle, be excluded from such programs on racial grounds," he said.
The Supreme Court decision may further clarify the legitimacy of these programs, said Marcus, who currently chairs the Lewis D.
The university has been making plans behind the scenes for a court ruling, but is reluctant to make plans public and fears possible legal action.
However, some launched a preemptive strike. For example, standardized tests have long been criticized for handicapping poor students and students of color.
And students seeking fair admissions relied on test scores to prove that Harvard and North Carolina discriminated against white and Asian applicants.
Now, the “test options” policy, which has grown exponentially during the pandemic, is becoming the new normal: more than 1,800 of his four-year colleges have said they do not require SAT or ACT scores. increase. Also, the number of SAT takers is down from about 2.2 million in his 2020 class to 1.7 million in his 2022 high school class.
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| Wesleyan began recruiting new graduates in 1964. That same year, his junior pastor, Martin Luther King, addressed the predominantly white graduates with a commencement address. Wesleyan University Special Collections and Archives |
Anthony A. Jack, a Harvard Graduate School of Education professor, predicted that the court's decision would "rule the SAT."
Uneducated students are less likely to submit standardized test scores when applying, says Julie J.
The College Board, which administers the SAT, released a statement that nearly 1.3 million U.S. students are above their high school grade point average in his 2022 class. A test could open the door to college.
The ruling nullifying race-sensitive admissions will impact students of color most, but many white and wealthy students may also be affected.
At Scarsdale High School in the affluent New York suburb, Director of Counseling Oren Iosepovich recently warned parents that the move to "test options" changed the competition and forced them to rethink.
Universities may now emphasize different qualities in their students, he said, questioning whether qualifications long considered essential, such as the Advanced Placement test, continue to matter to some students. I'm watching I see what I'm doing
Positives Some opponents of his actions argue that preferences should be based on socioeconomic class rather than race.
Early decision programs can be vulnerable, said Richard D. Kahlenberg, an educational consultant and writer who advised plaintiffs in the Fair Admissions lawsuit. Early decisions attract wealthier applicants, as students are often asked to attend school before considering financial aid packages.
"This is one of the inequalities built into the system," said Kahlenberg, who has argued that his behavior is class-based and positive.
His alumni children can also lose power. Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, is considering scrapping the benefit, according to spokesman Patrick Collins.
Matthew L. McGann, dean of admissions at Amherst College, said the school is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling.
Still, if the Supreme Court overrules affirmative measures, those measures must continue the decline in underrepresented students.
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| High school senior Ariel LaSalle visited Wesleyan with her parents for an open house last fall. Bea Oyster |
Last November, he visited Wesleyan's campus with several high school students, including senior Ariel LaSalle from Goshen, New York.
LaSalle, 17, said he was concerned about the potential consequences of the Supreme Court case, even if he completed the admission process before the verdict.
"I think everyone should have a chance," said LaSalle.
Wesleyan started his graduate recruitment campaign in 1964. That same year, his junior pastor, Martin Luther King, addressed the predominantly white graduates.
Currently, 6% of his students are black and 11% are Latino. President Michael S. Ross said he is looking at race-neutral ways to expand support to low-income high schools, his community his colleges, and veterans organizations.
Dr. Roth worries about what his campus will look like after the Supreme Court ruling.
