What the End of Affirmative Action Means for Students of Color — & How to Help Them Get Into Their Dream College Anyway

Sherri McGee McCovey
·7 min read


While it is too early to know the full impact the recent Supreme Court ruling ending Affirmative Action in college admission will have on minority applicants, one thing is certain: the burden will now be on universities to develop creative ways to admit a diverse student body.


As the parent of a rising 11th-grade student, this ruling caught my attention. While we have made preparation to pay for our son’s college education, and he has maintained good grades, I still worry that he may not be accepted into his desired school. We live in California, where in 1996, voters struck down race-conscious admission via Proposition 209. The result has been disastrous for Black students attempting to attend schools in the U.C. system. In fact, a Los Angeles Times report revealed that exactly one decade after Affirmative Action ended, UCLA had only 96 Black students in its incoming class of 4,852 freshmen. A large share of them were athletes.

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Since then, nine other states — Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington — have followed. If UCLA’s dismal admission record is any indication of what’s to come, then students of color are in for a bumpy ride. It’s a sad fact when you consider that a diverse school population allows students to experience views and cultures much different than their own.


Dr. Shaun Harper is a leading expert on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and founder and executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center. In a recent Forbes article, he detailed what will happen on campuses nationwide as Black students strive to access a college education post-Affirmative Action.

Click here to read the full article.


“Based on trends and outcomes across the ten states that previously passed Affirmative Action bans, Black student enrollment will decline at many predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) will see an increase in enrollment.” Unsurprisingly, Harper added, “Schools with big-time sports programs will miraculously find admissible Black athletes.”


The ruling will also lead to decreases in race-focused campus initiatives, a decline in the number of faculty and administrators of color, and it will further marginalize people of color at PWIs. Ultimately, white students will learn too little about other cultures, and they will enter professions even less prepared to work with, and perhaps lead, employees of color.


Michele Dolphin knows the importance of preparing students for college. The Los Angeles-based chemistry teacher and director of a high school biomedical pathway program has helped countless students land at their dream schools for nearly a decade, including her own twins.


“When our boys were in middle school, my husband and I decided to play to our strengths,” she recalls. “As an educator, I directed their academics and made sure their grades stayed on point, and my husband led their interpersonal skills to help them gain valuable internships through his connections.”


It paid off. Their sons recently graduated from Ivy League Brown University and are well on their way to successful careers. The Dolphins also run IvyBound LA, an all-inclusive academic consulting agency that assists high school students develop unique and compelling college applications that reflect their strengths. Hiring a coach during the student’s freshmen year is ideal, but any time within the four years can be beneficial. The key is to find a coach your child resonates with because they will get the most out of the student. It is also important to trust the coach’s process.


Read on for a parent (and student) roadmap to collegiate success, even facing these new challenges.


NINTH GRADE – The correct course load is important. Counselors are there to assist, but for your child to get into the college of their choice, they must curate a resume; a four-year academic roadmap, of sorts, to ensure that academic rigor is evident. If you’re unsure where to begin, use a Google resume template. This will keep all internships and awards in one place so that when it is time to apply to colleges, the student doesn’t have to try to remember what they accomplished in four years. If your child excels in math and honors (or AP) courses are offered during the freshman year, Dolphin advises students to challenge themselves. Lastly, most universities are test-optional; some colleges have even eliminated those metrics. Have your child take the SAT and ACT with minimal studying to determine which test they feel most comfortable taking. Doing so provides a starting point of where improvement is needed. Retake the test during the sophomore year, so there is an option should they decide to submit it when applying to colleges. It is better to have it and not need it than to not have it and limit college options.


TENTH GRADE – By sophomore year, parents should know which standardized test their child will be successful in taking. A good score depends on the college they plan to apply to. If your child is struggling, consider using study guidebooks, online tutors, or a coach if feasible. This is also the year to identify a passion project to pursue. Colleges want to see that a student is not just a member of a club, or checking off a community service box, but creating a personal project that they lead out of intense curiosity or interest. The project should be something that can be built on each year, with a culminating part being executed during their senior year. Showing a leadership role through involvement in clubs and organizations is important.


ELEVENTH GRADE – The junior year is vital. It solidifies a student’s hard work and is the year they should put the finishing touches on four areas: academics, leadership, service, and internship/passion projects. This is the last year for them to showcase their academic ability by taking challenging AP and honors courses. In leadership, the student should have secured a leading position in the club/organization of their choice. Service can coincide with the internship depending on their desired field of study in college. Ideally, the internship should reflect the area of study your child would like to pursue or explore in college.


“If engineering is of interest, by eleventh grade they should have shadowed an engineer or participated in an engineering program at a university,” says Dolphin. “The passion project should be fully active and have tangible evidence of growth.”


TWELFTH GRADE – This is when parents need to be the distraction eliminator, and it should start the summer before senior year. Writing college essays and personal statements is a job within itself. It requires hours on your child’s part to write an impressive essay that will help tell the college what makes them unique and sets them apart from another student whose resume may look similar.  As a parent, it will be your job to help organize all due dates and documents each college asks the student to submit. Dolphin’s biggest suggestion is to begin to write personal statements before the start of senior year, while they aren’t yet inundated with school activities. If you find yourself behind the eight-ball, Dolphin says, don’t panic. “I had a client who, because of family circumstances, did not do as well as he had hoped. We explained his story and what his dream was in his college essay. The university wanted to help him make that dream come true. The lesson to be learned is that how your child tells his/her story makes all the difference in their acceptance.”


Dolphin also has advice for paying for college. If a merit-based scholarship is not an option and financial aid is needed, start by inquiring with the school.


“Even if you have received your financial aid package from the University, don’t hesitate to ask for more aid,” she urges. “Most colleges will allow you to appeal, and most of the time, they will reward your child with more financial assistance. If that does not happen, most Universities have scholarships or grants available that aren’t advertised.” If all that does not yield more gains, start with the city where you live, as most cities offer scholarships for students to apply. Lastly, reach out to organizations of your child’s intended career choice. For example, if he wants to be an engineer, find a state or national engineering association, and apply for their scholarships.


“Children are not the same, and some students are not innately driven in high school, and that’s okay,” says Dolphin. “What is most important is that they have an end goal, whether it is a trade school or a career that requires a college degree. There is more than one way to land at your dream school.”

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