Trump's initiative to promote fairness in college applications allegedly ignores legacy advantages
In a significant shift towards promoting fairness and socioeconomic equity in higher education, several states have enacted or proposed legislation to ban legacy admissions—preferences given to applicants based on family ties to alumni.
California, the latest state to join this movement, has recently passed a law banning legacy admissions at both public and private colleges and universities. This law, effective September 1, 2025, affects elite private institutions such as Stanford, USC, Caltech, and UC Berkeley, prohibiting any admissions preference based on legacy status. California becomes the fifth state to take such action, following earlier laws passed in Colorado (2021), Illinois (2024), Maryland (2024), and Virginia (2024).
Virginia and Colorado have similarly banned legacy admissions at public colleges, and other states like Illinois and Maryland have enacted or are in the process of enacting similar measures. In Massachusetts, state legislation (S.2687) is advancing to prohibit legacy preferences, with strong bipartisan and public support, including endorsements from organizations like the NAACP, American Association of University Professors, and prominent Harvard figures.
At the federal level, there is growing bipartisan interest in ending legacy preferences nationwide. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) co-sponsored legislation in 2023 focused on eliminating legacy admissions alongside other admissions preferences. President Trump has called for increased transparency in college admissions, directing the Department of Education to expand data collection on admissions practices to ensure fairness. However, some elite institutions, including all eight Ivy League schools and Stanford, still retain legacy preferences. Notably, Stanford announced it would continue the practice even after California's ban by withdrawing from state financial aid programs to avoid compliance.
In addition to bans on legacy admissions, related reforms are underway. For instance, a federal class-action lawsuit challenges binding Early Decision policies used by elite schools to limit competition and potentially favor wealthier applicants, indirectly addressing concerns about admissions fairness.
This reflects a growing national movement against legacy admissions driven by concerns about fairness and socioeconomic equity in higher education. As more states and federal entities address this issue, the landscape of college admissions may undergo substantial changes in the coming years.
| Jurisdiction | Legacy Admissions Status | Notes | |------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | California | Ban effective Sept 1, 2025 (both public and private) | Affects Stanford, USC, Caltech, UC Berkeley, others | | Colorado | Ban since 2021 at public institutions | First state to do so | | Illinois | Ban at public institutions since 2024 | Legislation passed | | Maryland | Ban at both public and private colleges | | | Virginia | Ban at public institutions since 2024 | Republican governor signed law | | Massachusetts | Proposal advancing (S.2687) | Bipartisan support, awaiting enactment | | Federal Level | Legislative proposals to end legacy admissions | Transparency pushes; no national ban yet | | Ivy League & Stanford | Legacy admissions still practiced | Stanford resisting CA law by withdrawing state aid |
- In light of the nationwide movement towards fairness and socioeconomic equity in higher education, various states have taken action to ban legacy admissions, with California being the latest by 2025.
- California's ban, affecting elite institutions like Stanford, USC, and UC Berkeley, follows similar laws passed in Colorado (2021), Illinois (2024), and Virginia (2024) for public colleges, while Maryland plans to ban legacy admissions at both public and private colleges.
- At the federal level, there is growing bipartisan interest to end legacy preferences nationwide, with Senator Todd Young (R-IN) co-sponsoring legislation in 2023 to eliminate legacy admissions alongside other admissions preferences. Meanwhile, organizations like the NAACP, American Association of University Professors, and prominent Harvard figures are advocating for legislation in Massachusetts to prohibit legacy preferences.
