Ensuring equitable access to higher education is a critical aim of many colleges and universities. Over the past five years, several national-level events have disrupted the college admissions environment, with unknown impact on the demographics of who applies, is admitted, and ultimately enrolls in a four-year college. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had an enduring impact on the admissions landscape, with applicants to college increasing significantly from pre-pandemic numbers as reported by the Common App. In 2023, the Supreme Court rulings in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina resulted in a national ban on the consideration of race in admissions. Subsequent to the Supreme Court decision, there were complications with the roll out of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), resulting in fewer students applying for federal financial aid in 2024. It is important to understand how these and future legal and policy changes may be reshaping college admissions.
UERU is a partner in a national research-practice partnership, led by scholars at the Urban Institute, to explore new approaches to college admissions. Our goals are to:
- Understand who is applying to, admitted by, and enrolling at colleges and universities.
- Learn about changes colleges and universities are making to their admissions policies and practices; and
- Evaluate the potential impact of these changes on the demographic profile of future classes.
UERU invites its members to participate in this important project in pursuit of the Boyer 2030 Commission’s imperative on ensuring equitable access to higher education. Participating universities will receive a report that benchmarks their data to the sample as a whole, and will have first access to convenings and other events supporting leaders in advancing equity.
Read more about the project in Inside Higher Ed