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FACT BRIEF

Can colleges consider legacy status in admissions, despite the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action?

By Tom Kertscher
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YES

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 29, 2023, ruling striking down affirmative action in college admissions did not address using legacy as a preference in admissions.

Legacy generally refers to a student applicant who has family ties to a college's alumni.

News reports after the ruling described new pressure on universities that give an advantage to legacy applicants.

Activist groups and several members of Congress demanded an end to the practice, saying it favors white applicants. A civil rights legal group sued to challenge legacy admissions at Harvard University.

It’s unclear which U.S. schools provide a legacy boost and how much it helps, the Associated Press reported. In California, where disclosure is required, USC and Stanford said that about 14% of admitted students last year had family ties to alumni or donors.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison does not officially consider legacy, according to two admissions consulting firms.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
US Supreme Court Students for Fair Admissions Inc., v. President and Fellows of Harvard College
GBH (Boston) Lawsuit challenges legacy admissions at Harvard, alleging racial discrimination
AP News Affirmative action for white people? Legacy college admissions come under renewed scrutiny
College Admissions Consultant Services Legacy Status Explained: Which Colleges Consider It?
College Transitions Colleges that Consider Legacy Status
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.