A New Era in College Admissions: Shifts in University Demographics Post-Affirmative Action
The landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 to eliminate affirmative action in college admissions has sparked significant changes in the composition of university student bodies. As the ban took effect for the 2024-25 academic year, universities across the nation witnessed a noticeable shift in their racial demographics.
Research conducted by Class Action, an organization dedicated to promoting educational equity, revealed that prestigious institutions like Harvard and Yale experienced a decrease in Black and Hispanic student enrollments following the court’s ruling.
James Murphy, a senior fellow at Class Action, discussed these changes on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today”. He emphasized the interconnectedness of college admissions, stating, “It’s a reminder that college admissions is a complex ecosystem. It’s not just what happens at one institution.”
The ruling led many high-achieving students of color, who previously might have been accepted into highly selective schools like the University of Chicago, to consider less-exclusive public universities such as those in the University of Wisconsin system. For instance, UW-Milwaukee reported a rise in Black and Hispanic student admissions in the aftermath of the affirmative action ban.
However, this shift in student choices has a domino effect on the overall admissions landscape. As more students choose institutions like UW schools, others may find themselves attending community colleges or technical schools instead.
Murphy further noted that various elements beyond the Supreme Court decision contribute to the demographic trends at each college. In Wisconsin, institutions such as UW-Eau Claire, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Stevens Point saw notable increases in Black and Hispanic student enrollments from 2023 to 2024. Conversely, schools like UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Parkside experienced little change, while UW-Madison reported a decline in these student populations.
According to Taylor Odle, an educational policy professor at UW-Madison, a comprehensive understanding of these patterns will require several years of data. He noted that affirmative action was not widely applied in Wisconsin, as even the state’s flagship university, UW-Madison, has a significantly higher acceptance rate than Ivy League schools.
Odle mentioned the importance of Wisconsin colleges in attracting a diverse student body, saying, “Colleges across Wisconsin are thinking about ways of attracting a variety of students, not only racially or ethnically minoritized students but focused on socioeconomically disadvantaged students.” He highlighted the expansion of the Wisconsin Tuition Promise program as a crucial step in supporting students from low- to moderate-income families.
Following pressure from the Trump administration, UW-Madison closed its Division of Diversity, Equity and Education Achievement in the previous year, although some efforts were reorganized to focus on first-generation college students.
Odle stressed the importance of tracking not only the enrollment of students of color at Wisconsin universities but also their academic success and transition into the workforce post-graduation.
