Wesleyan University Becomes Latest School to End Legacy Admissions
Just weeks after the Supreme Court ruled to end affirmative action in college admissions, Wesleyan University announced they will be ending the practice of legacy admissions, where the children of alumni are given extra consideration in their applications.
Wesleyan joins other elite schools in dropping the practice, including Amherst, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, and MIT.
"As a highly selective university, Wesleyan University seeks exceptional students from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances who will thrive in and enrich the Wesleyan community," Michael S. Roth, Wesleyan's president, wrote in a new blog post. "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."
He added, "Nevertheless, in the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action, we believe it important to formally end admission preference for 'legacy applicants.' We still value the ongoing relationships that come from multi-generational Wesleyan attendance, but 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 also said "ending preferential legacy admission is the easy part," and that Wesleyan will continue to ensure diversity and increase financial aid support in their admissions.
Additionally, Roth told the New York Times that legacy status has played a "negligible role" in admissions. He added that he thinks most alumni would agree with their change in policy, saying, "I'm wagering, I guess that Wesleyan alumni will be proud of that, and they want it to be a place that doesn’t give unearned privileges to applicants."
Some immediate reactions on Twitter have proved Roth's point. "Very proud of my alma mater, Wesleyan University, for deciding to end legacy admissions -- a practice that for far too long has given a leg up to students from wealthy families," writer Steven Greenhouse tweeted. "HELL YEAH GO WES!!" author Ella Dawson also tweeted. "Proud to be a Wesleyan alum today."
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