By Tenicia Winston
In June of this year, the Supreme Court struck down the use of race as a factor in college admissions. This means that the already difficult goal of diversifying college admissions and enrollment just got harder, but there are paths forward.
While the full consequences of this decision are not yet clear some of the potential implications include:
- Reduction of Black and Brown students at selective predominantly white institutions (PWIs)
- Reduced sense of belonging for Black and Brown students at PWIs
- Shifting of Black and Brown students to under-matched institutions
- Policymakers moving to eliminate race in scholarship, aid, summer bridge programs, etc
Recently, Learn4Life convened a panel, moderated by Korynn Schooley, Vice President of College Access at Achieve Atlanta. The panelists, which included Dr. Rebecca Sandidge, Vice President of Enrollment at Oglethorpe University, Manomay Kidd, Executive Director of Student Advancement for DeKalb County Schools, and Leri Argueta, Senior Assistant Director for Diversity Initiatives at Georgia Institute of Technology, shared candid insights with nonprofit, school district, and philanthropic partners who have a vested interest in postsecondary success in metro Atlanta. Below are a handful of ways they suggested districts and other organizations might navigate college access in a post-affirmative action application process:
- Ensure that students, family, and faculty have the facts
- Create space in your organizations and school districts to revisit college application and enrollment strategy
- Teach students how to articulate their own, authentic stories in their application essays
- Reinforce that students’ applications are valued and that they belong in colleges and universities
- Expose students to a broad range of schools to improve likelihood of them attending a college that is an appropriate match and where they feel a sense of belonging
“Belonging and thriving leads to persistence and graduation.” This quote by Dr. Sandidge, highlights the importance of feeling respected and valued on a student’s ability to succeed on campus. For Black and Brown students, especially those who are the first in their families to go to college, and those at or considering PWIs, belonging on campus is likely already front of mind. The SCOTUS decision threatens to amplify their concerns.
L4L will continue to remain informed about the implications of the decision on metro Atlanta youth, and will lift up innovative ideas to help navigate the post-affirmative action application process in order to support postsecondary success in the region.If you’re a parent, or from a school, nonprofit, community organization, or business, and you’d like to be part of more postsecondary conversations, please join our postsecondary success network here. All are welcome, and we’d love to have your voice at the table.
This is sponsored content.
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