Reporting by Arik Karim, Yale Daily News '23
On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions in the contentious, years-long court cases Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina et al. and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. The 40-page majority opinion of the court, delivered by Chief Justice John Roberts, held that race-conscious admissions processes violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment (prohibiting preferential treatment of one race over another in governmental programs).
While parents, mainstream media, and pro-/anti-affirmative action groups have historically dominated discourse about college admission programs, it are students who have now emerged as the most vocal proponents and ardent opponents against affirmative action. As the single stakeholder most closely affected by the Supreme Court decision, students are left asking a single question:
Where do we go from here?
Student opinions on affirmative action & meritocracy, both domestically and internationally, have turned into a wellspring of nuanced conversations acknowledging the myriad of strengths and faults with the college admissions system. Here are what students have to say on the subject.
"I do support the recent Supreme Court decision. I believe that affirmative action does very little to enable the success of every individual in a society. To be clear, I am in full support of programs and initiatives such as financial aid or the capacity for universities to look at context when reviewing applications, but I do not agree with the idea that individuals should have an increased chance of getting into a university just because they are of a particular race."
Jade Wang, Western Canada High School Class of 2026 (Alberta, Canada)
"I don’t support the ruling of the Supreme Court to overturn affirmative action because of the history of inaccessibility to colleges and private schools in this country. It was in my parents' lifetime in which minorities where restricted from institutions simply for the color of their skin and as we are growing into a multicultural and multiracial society, our institutions ought to reflect that."
James McIntyre, Dreyfoos School of the Arts Class of 2023 & Florida Atlantic University Class of 2027 (Florida, United States)
The vision to achieving true meritocracy varies from one student to the next.
"I view a meritocracy as any structure that evaluates abilities in a vacuum to create social, political, or economic classes. That is to say, a meritocracy is unfair but equal. It is a system that refuses to acknowledge that some groups are naturally placed in a disadvantaged position for systemic reasons. In the context of college admissions, a world without affirmative action is most certainly meritocratic because it sets all applicants on a level playing field without realizing many racial minorities must work harder to achieve a similar outcome to White and Asian applicants."
Ethan Wilkes, John Paul Stevens High School Class of 2023 & University of Texas Austin Class of 2027 (Texas, United States)
"To enhance meritocracy, I would say it is necessary to reevaluate or eliminate legacy admissions and possibly even reduce reliance on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT, as many schools now have the option where you do not need to submit test scores. Emphasizing a holistic evaluation of applicants, considering their diverse attributes and accomplishments, will lead to a fairer and more equitable admissions process that rewards talent and dedication."
Tanvi Palavalas, Maggie L. Walker Governor's School Class of 2024 (Virginia, United States)
Many students remain uncertain about where they stand on affirmative action and how its overturning will impact admissions of underrepresented applicants in the future.
"My arrow of support teeters on whether I support the decision or not. Selfishly, I may lean towards supporting the judgment of the Court as I believe I have indeed been negatively affected in my endeavors to receiving scholarships and job opportunities due to affirmative action. However, I think I've also ended up just fine, but I can only speak for myself. On the other hand, several invaluable friendships I've formed in college would have been impossible if not for affirmative action. I believe the composition of future classes will be astonishingly homogenous upper-class elites with the recent ruling."
Aqib Mahfuz, Duke University Class of 2023 (North Carolina, United States) & Oxford University Class of 2024 (Oxford, England)
"June 29 perpetrated a deep ripple through my community. Many students of color expressed their concern about higher education, and whether or not the system will account for the educational disparities they’ve suffered. Although I affirmed their fears with encouragement, I’m also worried about next year’s college admissions process. Diversity is a quintessential factor in fostering educational discourse. Without that factor, I ponder if my voice will be diminished in predominantly white institutions (such as Columbia)."
Chinh Le, Westchester Academy for International Studies Class of 2023 (Texas, United States) & Columbia College Class of 2027 (New York, United States)
Photos courtesy of: Jade Wang, James McIntyre, Ethan Wilkes, Tanvi Palavalas, Aqib Mahfuz, and Chinh Le