MIT: Student Diversity Has Dropped Since Affirmative Action Ban

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Facts

  • The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says it has witnessed a drop in student diversity in its 1.1K incoming freshman class following the Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action in admissions in 2023.[1][2]
  • Only 16% of those enrolled in MIT's undergraduate class of 2028 were Black, Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Islander. The baseline in recent years was 25%.[3]
  • Black students' share witnessed the steepest fall — from 15% to 5%, MIT said Wednesday. White students made up 37% this time, as opposed to 38% last year.[4]
  • One student group that gained in share — from 41% earlier to 47% this year — was Asian-Americans. This figure excluded international students.[5]
  • MIT is the first major US university to publish admissions data since the Supreme Court ruled that race-conscious admission policies in colleges and universities violated the US Constitution.[6]

Sources: [1]Higher Ed Dive, [2]Reuters, [3]NBC Boston, [4]New York Times, [5]WBUR News and [6]BBC News.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by Washington Post. The US Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action in college admissions was a misguided decision, ignoring the complexities of a diverse society. By dismissing the historical and systemic racial discrimination that still impacts minorities, it promoted an unrealistic vision of a 'colorblind' society. It risks perpetuating inequality and reversing progress.
  • Right narrative, as provided by Federalist. The US Supreme Court simply upheld the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution's 14th Amendment. Race-based admissions violate the principle of eliminating all forms of racial discrimination. True equality means not considering race at all. Admissions should focus on individual achievements rather than racial identity. A colorblind approach to education is important.
  • Narrative C, as provided by Politico. The Supreme Court's ruling last year has only exposed US colleges' reluctance to genuinely promote diversity. Instead of eliminating legacy preferences and other practices that favor wealthy, predominantly white applicants, many elite institutions have doubled down on these exclusionary mechanisms. The ruling has highlighted how they prioritize preserving the status quo of the wealthy elite over expanding opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged students of color.

Predictions