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New York, NY (June 24, 2013) – In the highly-anticipated affirmative action case of Fisher v University of Texas at Austin, the U.S. Supreme Court today sent the case back to the federal appeals court for further review, noting that that colleges’ affirmative action plans are constitutional only if such racial preferences are the only way to achieve diversity on campuses, and that the lower court did not apply “strict scrutiny” to UT’s admissions policy. While the case undergoes additional review, a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey of 689 high school students* shows that a majority (60%) say it’s “very important” or “somewhat important” for the college they attend to have a racially diverse student body.
“Whether or not affirmative action survives, it seems racial diversity is something a majority of college applicants today value in the schools they attend,” says Seppy Basili, vice president of college admissions and K-12 programs at Kaplan Test Prep. Kaplan’s survey asked applicants about the importance placed on multiple factors related to campus life. Of greater importance to students was a “socially conscious campus community” (82%); less important to them were “strong programs in music, art, or performing arts” (49%); “a competitive sports program” (49%); and a “vibrant Greek (fraternity/sorority) life” (31%).
While the Fisher ruling did not offer a definitive opinion on the use of race as a factor in admissions decisions, it keeps the affirmative action issue simmering — especially with a second affirmative action case up for review in the fall session of the Supreme Court (Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action).
“Apart from race-conscious affirmative action, schools seek to achieve a diverse population in two general ways: finding other proxies for race to bring diversity to campus, and seeking partnerships with K12 institutions to improve the pipeline of academically talented, low-income students. In fact, improving the pipeline by closing the achievement gap becomes ever more critical as so many U.S. businesses today are also committed to diversity in the workforce.”
Basili notes that alternative approaches to diversity outreach already in use by colleges and universities across the country include expanding financial aid, implementing economic affirmative action and instituting a percent plan based on class ranking, like those already in place in Texas, Florida and California.
Filed by a white applicant who was denied admission to the University of Texas, the Fisher lawsuit had argued that Texas’ Top 10 Percent Plan, which guarantees admission to any Texas public college for residents in the top 10th of their high school class, has produced sufficient levels of diversity at UT-Austin that the school has no need to give extra consideration to applicants based on race.
Only eight of the nine Justices voted on the decision, as Justice Elena Kagan recused herself from the case, since she was involved, in her previous position as U.S. Solicitor General, in the submission of a brief supporting UT when the case was before a lower court.
To speak with Seppy Basili in more detail about Kaplan Test Prep’s survey and what the Supreme Court ruling means for students and schools, or to speak with Kaplan Bar Review constitutional law expert Kermit Roosevelt, please contact Carina Wong at 212.453.7571 or carina.wong@kaplan.com.
*The online survey was conducted in May and June 2013 of 689 Kaplan Test Prep students who prepared for the May and June administrations of the SAT and ACT.
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Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.
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