According to Oxford Languages, affirmative action is “the practice or policy of favoring individuals belonging to groups regarded as disadvantaged or subject to discrimination.” This summer, the United States Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action in the U.S. college admissions process with Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. This decision indefinitely changes the application process for students, starting with Highland Park’s class of 2024. The shift introduces a new level of anxiety for students in underrepresented minority groups as they apply to already hyper-competitive colleges.
Proponents of affirmative action argue that it levels the playing field for underrepresented groups, while opponents counter that affirmative action amounts to simply directing discrimination toward a majority group. At Highland Park High School, many students across all races believe that the end of affirmative action will hurt college communities. “Colleges are going to be less diverse. It’s just bad,” says sophomore Maxwell Fan.
Upperclassmen concede their strong feelings stem from the decision directly impacting their own lives. When asked about how they felt during this application season, a senior added that they “feel like we’re test subjects. I think I’d be fine knowing affirmative action ended if I didn’t have to apply during the exact year it ended…It’s just weird now.” One senior student, directly impacted by the end of race-based affirmative action, states, “I wasn’t ever aiming for something like Harvard, but I feel like I’ll have to go to Rutgers if I don’t get in anywhere else. I feel like [the lack of] affirmative action is going to be the reason, but I won’t ever really know.”
Counselors at the high school feel the stress emanating from students and try to calm those fears. At the front desk, Ms. Dewhirst says students should try to apply to colleges they otherwise planned to, regardless of the ruling. Though there haven’t been large-scale discussions with administration about this change, the guidance office wants students to know that they can walk in to talk about it at any time. “First, going to a top four-year college or university isn’t the end-all be-all. There are so many other options that might be better for certain people. Second, no one should be too worried when a lot of schools are still looking at race and other identities in their holistic admissions process,” adds Ms. Gore in response to any lingering student anxieties. Holistic admissions may contribute to diversity as it considers factors besides test scores and grades, including extracurriculars, personal identity, income level, and extenuating circumstances.
While the admissions process has changed, students still have opportunities to thrive in colleges dedicated to promoting diversity through means other than specific demographic quotas. Though the end of affirmative action adds another variable to the already convoluted application process, the college admissions process continues on. The most students can do is their best.