Colleges have factored legacy status in admissions for decades, but the practice is under new scrutiny following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling race-conscious policies unconstitutional in June.
Higher ed leaders say the high court’s decision has dissuaded some historically marginalized applicants from seeking a college education, while research has shown legacy preferences favor the wealthy.
High-ranking Biden administration officials have also since expressed public skepticism over legacy status. James Kvaal, department undersecretary, told Higher Ed Dive last month that colleges need to take a “long look at their policies and practices that expand privilege instead of opportunity and that includes preferences for legacies.”
