The Future of College Legacy Admissions
The landscape of college admissions in the U.S. is undergoing another shift.
In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to strike down race-conscious admissions, a growing movement is gaining momentum: the push to eliminate legacy admissions. With California Governor Gavin Newsom's recent signing of Assembly Bill 1780, California has joined a handful of states in banning legacy preferences at private colleges, signaling that merit, rather than familial connections, should dictate who gets admitted to higher education institutions.
Legacy admissions, the practice of giving preferential treatment to students who have family ties to alumni, has long been a staple at selective private universities. But the tradition has faced increasing scrutiny, especially as institutions grapple with how to ensure fairness in the wake of the affirmative action ruling.
Newsom’s bill, which will go into effect in 2025, is not just about removing an unfair advantage for the well-connected, it's about leveling the playing field for the next generation of college applicants.
California Governor Gavin Newsom
For decades, critics of legacy admissions have pointed out its inherent inequity. The practice disproportionately benefits wealthy, white students while disadvantaging those from underrepresented racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. For example, at Harvard, approximately one-third of the class of 2027 had some family connection to the school, with 65% of those legacy students coming from families earning over $125,000 a year. This stands in stark contrast to first-generation college students, 80% of whom come from households earning less than $125,000. The disparity in access and privilege is clear.
The issue of legacy admissions has become more pressing since the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action, which raised an important question: if universities are required to adopt race-neutral admissions, why should they be allowed to extend preferential treatment based on family wealth and connections? The answer, increasingly, seems to be that they shouldn’t.
California is the latest state to act, but it won’t be the last. Virginia, Colorado, Maryland, and Illinois have all passed legislation to eliminate legacy preferences, with bipartisan support. U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Todd Young introduced the federal MERIT Act, which would prohibit legacy and donor-based preferences nationwide. As the political will grows, we could soon see more states - and potentially the federal government - grapple with this question.
Banning legacy admissions could have profound effects on the composition of college campuses. At Johns Hopkins University, which phased out legacy preferences years ago, the percentage of students from first-generation or low-income families has increased dramatically. This example offers a glimpse of what the future of college admissions could look like.
However, eliminating legacy preferences is only one step toward creating a more equitable college admissions process. As lawmakers and institutions continue to grapple with how to best promote diversity in a post-affirmative action era, other structural barriers to higher education, like access to test prep, extracurricular opportunities, and financial aid, must also be addressed.
The debate over legacy admissions is far from over. Some argue that removing legacy preferences could harm universities’ endowments, which rely heavily on alumni donations. Others warn that minority students could lose out on important familial connections that can ease the transition to college. But as states like California take bold action, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the status quo is untenable.
The end of legacy admissions could open a new chapter for college access, one that finally fulfills the promise of higher education as a pathway to opportunity, not just for the well-connected, but for all.
If you feel like you need guidance in this changing landscape, reach out here!
Best of luck,
Melina Kazanas
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