Wesleyan University, an elite liberal arts college based in Middletown, Connecticut, announced Wednesday that it is formally discontinuing admission preference for "legacy applicants."
The university's decision comes following last month's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot factor into the admission process and forcing educational institutions to find new ways to achieve diversity.
Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University, issued a statement on the school's website on Wednesday, writing: "An applicant's connection to a Wesleyan graduate indicates little about that applicant's ability to succeed at the University, meaning that legacy status has played a negligible role in our admission process for many years.
"Nevertheless," the statement continued, "in the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action, we believe it important to formally end admission preference for 'legacy applicants.' "
Although the university will continue to value its "ongoing relationships that come from multi-generational Wesleyan attendance," Roth stated that "there will be no 'bump' in the selection process. As has been almost always the case for a long time, family members of alumni will be admitted on their own merits."
Roth's statement underscored that Wesleyan "has never fixated on a checked box indicating a student's racial identification or family affiliations," and that the university holistically views applicants' lived experience, including college essays, their high school records, recommendation letters, and community interaction.
"Our admission decision is based upon diverse facets of the individual's history, talent, potential to contribute to the university and get the most out of a Wesleyan education," he wrote, adding that "applicants' achievement and promise" will continue to be considered "in the context of their respective schools, public engagement, and personal circumstances."
Moving forward, the university intends to continue to ensure a diverse student body, pursue geographic diversity in the U.S., and bolster its recruitment efforts for undergraduates from Africa, veterans, and community colleges. Wesleyan will also work to strengthen its outreach to community-based organizations, college access programs, and Title I high schools, and to solidify the Center for Prison Education, ensuring the sustainability of the degree program for incarcerated individuals.
According to the statement, the university will also look to increase financial aid support, which includes remaining committed to access and affordability for students, normalizing a three-year program option to reduce college costs, and developing more free credit online or hybrid courses.
More than 3,200 students are currently enrolled in Wesleyan University. Of the 14,500 applications received for Fall 2023, 2,280 have been admitted — a 15.7% acceptance rate. According to the school's website, 4% of the admits for Fall 2023 "have a Wesleyan parent."
Wesleyan joins a growing number of U.S. universities that have recently terminated their legacy admission practices, including Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
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