Supreme Court Ruling Impacts Yale, Princeton, Duke Admissions in 2024

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in SFFA, which prohibited racial preferences in college admissions, elite universities in the United States have experienced notable shifts in their enrollment demographics. While many institutions saw a decline in black and Hispanic student enrollment alongside an increase in Asian-American students, Yale, Princeton, and Duke diverged from this trend. At these three universities, black student enrollment remained stable, while Asian-American enrollment decreased. Additionally, Hispanic student enrollment was flat at Princeton and Duke, but increased at Yale. University of Chicago law professor Sonja Starr proposed three alternative explanations for these anomalies. First, she suggested that fewer Asian-American students may have chosen to enroll at these schools in favor of other elite institutions. Second, she noted a significant rise in students at Duke and Princeton who opted not to disclose their race, which could skew the statistics. Lastly, she emphasized that universities are legally permitted to pursue racial diversity, even if it means maintaining representation of black and Hispanic students without using racial preferences. However, skepticism remains regarding the admissions practices at these universities. Critics point out that the consistent percentages of African-American and Hispanic students at these institutions raise questions about their admissions processes. Furthermore, the schools had previously indicated in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court that achieving similar diversity without racial preferences was impossible, leading to concerns about their honesty and commitment to diversity. The situation highlights the complexities and challenges faced by elite universities in navigating admissions policies in a post-SFFA landscape, as they strive to balance legal compliance with their goals for diversity and representation.