legacy admissions

After the Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action earlier this summer, Wesleyan University dropped its admissions preference for children of alumni. But it will still consider whether applicants can afford tuition as part of the admissions process. Wesleyan President Michael Roth on why the elite institution is making those decisions. Further Reading and Watching: - Wesleyan University Ends Legacy Preferences in Admissions  - How Colleges Plan to Factor In Race Without Asking About Race  Further Listening: - The Supreme Court Rules Against Affirmative Action  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court may have ended race-conscious admissions in higher education. But the end of affirmative action seems to have added fuel to another contentious debate around college admissions policies.

For decades, many elite, private institutions have given prospective college students preference if a relative attended the school or, in some cases, when a major donor was involved.

While the practice of affirmative action is dead, legacy admissions continue. But more and more critics of the practice are calling on schools to do away with them, including President Biden.

Host Juana Summers speaks with economist John Friedman, a professor and chair of economics at Brown University. He co-authored a study that quantifies the lasting socio-economic disparities between legacy students and their less affluent peers.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy