Farquharson: With Affirmative Action Gone, It’s Time to End Legacy Admissions for Good
On June 29, in the landmark case Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in favor of SFFA — effectively outlawing race-based affirmative action in admissions at colleges receiving federal funding. This decision was nothing less than inexorable, yet conservative justices touted the Harvard decision as a watershed moment in the restoration of core American values in college admissions, eulogizing the supposed victory for egalitarianism and meritocracy. Nonetheless, the decision has ignited discussion about another, far older admissions practice, equally controversial yet hitherto untouched by the nation’s highest court: legacy admissions. The practice involves preferential treatment for the children of alumni in admissions — 65% of whom come from families in the top 5% income bracket — or in other words, affirmative action for the rich and powerful.