Colleges that offer admissions preferences to legacy applicants are less likely to admit Black, Latino and low-income students, according to a new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy.
The report, which analyzes federal enrollment data from both the 2021–22 and 2022–23 academic years, found that selective institutions that consider alumni relations are, on average, whiter and wealthier than similar selective institutions that do not.
Colleges that consider legacy have, on average, 8 percent more white students and 3 percent fewer Black students than those that don’t, while the number of Asian students is the same for both groups. In addition, the report found that institutions with legacy preferences have an average of 36 percent Pell-eligible students, compared to 42 percent at those that do not consider legacy.
The findings come as debates and legislative battles over legacy preferences ramp up a year after the Supreme Court banned race-conscious admissions.
