A growing trend at selective colleges across the U.S. is raising eyebrows among admissions officers: fewer students are choosing to disclose their race on college applications. This shift, coming in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against race-conscious admissions practices, has sparked concern over how it might impact diversity and inclusion efforts in higher education.
With the recent legal challenges to affirmative action policies, many students now feel uncertain about whether revealing their race could help or hurt their chances of being accepted into prestigious institutions. Historically, race was considered a factor to promote campus diversity and support underrepresented groups. Now, students are opting to withhold this information, wary of how it might be perceived in the post-affirmative action era.
This change is not just anecdotal—preliminary data from several selective colleges shows a significant drop in applicants who disclose their racial or ethnic background. Some admissions officers have expressed concerns that this will make it harder for them to craft diverse classes, as race disclosure was previously one method for identifying underrepresented groups.
To adapt to this new environment, many colleges are exploring alternative ways to promote diversity. Admissions offices are placing more emphasis on factors like socioeconomic background, first-generation college status, and geographic diversity. Some schools are also increasing their outreach to underrepresented communities and offering more robust financial aid packages to attract diverse candidates without relying on race as a determining factor in admissions.
However, experts warn that these alternatives, while important, may not fully capture the nuances of racial diversity. “Race intersects with other aspects of identity and experience,” said one higher education policy expert. “By not asking for race, colleges might miss out on students whose experiences of inequality are shaped by their racial identity.”
For many students, the decision not to disclose their race comes from a desire for merit-based recognition. Some believe that race should not play a role in admissions and want to be evaluated solely on their academic and extracurricular achievements. Others, particularly students of color, feel conflicted—fearing that withholding their race might diminish the importance of their unique experiences, while disclosing it could lead to unintended biases.
This shift also puts greater pressure on college admissions offices. Without race data, admissions officers may struggle to gauge whether they are meeting diversity goals or creating equitable opportunities for all students. Colleges with historically large populations of underrepresented students—such as Ivy League schools and elite liberal arts colleges—could see changes in the makeup of their student body.
The debate over race in college admissions continues to be a divisive issue. Supporters of race-neutral policies argue that this shift is a step toward a more equitable and merit-based admissions process, where every student is judged without regard to race or ethnicity. They claim that focusing on socioeconomic status and other criteria can still result in diverse classes without relying on affirmative action.
Critics, however, contend that ignoring race overlooks the systemic inequalities that many students of color face. They argue that race is deeply tied to access to resources, quality education, and life opportunities—and that removing race from consideration in admissions could result in less representation of marginalized groups on college campuses. This, they fear, could roll back decades of progress toward creating equitable educational opportunities for all.
As the 2024 college application season progresses, it remains to be seen how this trend will impact the incoming freshman classes at selective colleges. Universities are likely to continue refining their admissions practices to adapt to the changing legal landscape, but balancing merit with the desire for diverse and inclusive campuses will be a delicate task.
At the same time, students are navigating uncharted waters, as they weigh the potential consequences of revealing or concealing their race in their applications. What’s clear is that this evolving landscape will shape not only how colleges select students but also how the next generation of scholars sees itself within the broader fabric of society.
Ultimately, the decline in applicants disclosing their race may have far-reaching consequences for diversity, equity, and fairness in higher education, sparking ongoing debates about how to best achieve a more inclusive system.