Wesleyan University is the next to end legacy admissions

Wesleyan University, a liberal arts college in Connecticut, is ending legacy admissions, which give a leg up to the children of alumni, just weeks after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, writes Vimal Patel for The New York Times.

After the Supreme Court decision, legacy admissions came under heavy attack because the practice tends to favour white, wealthy applicants over Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American students. President Joe Biden; Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York; and Senator Tim Scott, Republican of South Carolina, have all spoken out against the practice.

Polls also show that the public does not support legacy admissions. A Pew Research Center survey last year found that 75% of those surveyed believed legacy status should not be a factor in college admissions. Some highly selective universities and colleges have dropped legacy admissions, including Amherst, Johns Hopkins and Carnegie Mellon. But most have been reluctant to give up the practice, arguing that it helps build a strong intergenerational community and encourages donations, which can be used for financial aid.
Full report on The New York Times site