Mapping Out the "Current Moment" in College Admissions

"Few people understand the Supreme Court's 2023 decision to end race-conscious admissions in higher education better than Julie Park, a University of Maryland professor who has been studying race in college enrollment and admissions since long before it became a national flashpoint. The case thrust her area of study into the limelight. She also served as a consulting expert on the side of Harvard University, one of two institutions - along with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-"

"In her newbook, Race, Class, and Affirmative Action ( Harvard Education Press, 2026), Park explores how that seminal case has changed the admissions landscape, highlighting the ways the decision allows institutions to continue promoting racial diversity in their admissions processes. Written in early 2025, it also explores how President Trumphas repeatedly wielded the SFFA decision as a tool to push forward anti-diversity, equity and inclusion policies."

"I think because the book is written purposefully in a conversational tone, and I bring some of my own story in here and there, or some of my observations, that it just made sense to talk about who I am, right? When you read a research article, you don't always get that perspective. But I think, like it or not, we all have world views or life experiences that have shaped how we might think about something like college admission"

The Supreme Court's 2023 decision ended race-conscious admissions in higher education and reshaped the admissions landscape. Students for Fair Admissions sued Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill over race-conscious policies, prompting a seminal ruling. Institutions retain pathways to promote racial diversity within admissions despite the ban on explicit race-conscious criteria. The decision was used repeatedly by President Trump to advance anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Researchers studying college enrollment and admissions note that personal worldviews and life experiences influence perspectives on admission practices, and conversational, qualitative approaches can reveal those influences.

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