Americans’ Perspectives on College Admissions Factors

This past June, the Supreme Court dealt a major blow to decades of precedent when it rolled back the narrow consideration of race as one factor in college and university admissions decisions. Since then, colleges and higher education experts across the nation have been in conversations about how to ensure racial equity in the admissions process given this decision. Varying Degrees, New America’s annual survey in higher education, this year asks Americans about the role of race and other factors in admissions decisions. The findings show that while Americans are split on how race should play a role in admissions, they strongly believe in the benefits of diversity on college campuses.

When asked to consider how much different factors should be considered in college admissions decisions, most Americans believe that high school grades (89 percent) and standardized test scores (87 percent) should play a role. Approximately six in ten Americans (59 percent) think that being the first in one’s family to attend college should be considered in college admissions. Only 38 percent believe legacy status should play a role. When it comes to race and ethnicity, Americans are split as to whether the applicant’s race would factor into admissions decisions. (See Figure 1.).

We also find partisan divides when considering some of these admissions factors. Seven in ten Democrats believe that first-generation status should play a role in admissions decisions, compared with 43 percent of Republicans. The two groups are also divided on whether race and ethnicity should factor into admissions decisions: two-thirds of Democrats (66 percent) believe that it should, but just three in ten Republicans agree. (See Figure 2.).

Differences of opinion also emerge when broken down by generation, particularly when considering if first-generation status should impact admissions decisions. Younger generations tend to endorse this idea at higher rates, with seven in ten Gen Z Americans (71 percent) and two-thirds of millennials (67 percent) expressing that being the first in one’s family should play some role in college admissions. In comparison, just around half of Gen X (52 percent), Baby Boomers (54 percent), and the Silent Generation (44 percent) agree. (See Figure 3.).

This research also shows how Americans perceive the connection between race-conscious admissions and equity. Approximately two-thirds of Americans believe that when colleges and universities consider race as one factor in admissions decisions, this provides students from historically underrepresented backgrounds an expanded opportunity to enroll in higher education (67 percent) and reduces racial inequities in society (63 percent).

However, divergent opinions emerge when respondents are broken down by political affiliation. Among Democrats, 82 percent believe that students from historically underrepresented backgrounds will have an expanded opportunity to enroll in higher education and 81 percent believe that the consideration of race in admissions reduces racial inequities in society. Conversely, only half (50 percent) of Republicans agree that this consideration will allow students from historically underrepresented backgrounds an expanded opportunity to enroll in higher education, and 42 percent believe that this practice will reduce racial inequities in society (See Figure 4.).

Ultimately, Americans show broad support for a diverse student body. Over three-fourths (78 percent) agree that all students benefit from colleges and universities that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the general population, and approximately seven in ten (69 percent) believe that colleges and universities should admit more students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. (See Figure 5.).

As colleges and universities seek to ensure diversity and equity on their campuses following the Supreme Court’s recent gutting of race-conscious admissions, it’s encouraging to see that Americans value diversity on campus, and a significant number would support considering race and ethnicity when making admissions decisions.