Dear Prepory Community,
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States issued an opinion striking down affirmative action policies in college admissions. The effect of the decision is immediate, meaning that the upcoming class of applicants to colleges and universities in the United States will apply without the consideration of race in the holistic review process.
Our team has been closely following the now-decided litigation concerning UNC and Harvard. We’ve spoken with former colleagues still at top-tier admissions offices as well as decision makers at the National Association of College Admission Counseling, the Common Application, and the College Board.
Counterintuitively, we expect that today’s decision will only make matters of identity more important to the college admissions process. By and large, admissions committees are groups of nonprofit professionals committed to equity and access in higher education. We believe they will continue to use other factors, like ZIP Code and socioeconomic status, to realize diverse admissions outcomes. On February 24, 2023, the Common Application stated its intention to create lived experiences resources in anticipation of today’s decision (details pending). Many universities will likely follow suit with additional supplemental essays related to identity and diversity.
Today’s decision may be a legal landmark with ripple effects beyond the scope of college admissions. As relates to our expertise, we fully expect next year’s class of admitted students will be as racially diverse as prior classes.
And, as admissions strategists, we think the impending changes will create opportunities for students to share new, insightful, and differentiating stories about their experiences to help themselves stand out in the college admissions process. Our team will continue to stay abreast of reactions and adaptations at an institution-by-institution level and ensure that each one of our students is equipped to succeed.
At Prepory, our priorities have not changed. We will continue to do what we have always done: provide highest quality admissions counseling to families in 40+ countries of every racial, ethnic, and cultural background who value education. We remain devoted to our core values of client centricity, professionalism, underpromising and overdelivering, excellence, and positivity.
Thank you for trusting us to guide you and your community through the U.S. college admissions process. We’re honored by the opportunity to help you go from where you are to where you should be.
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Santos
Chief Executive Officer
