The Ultimate Conclusion of Trump’s Higher-Education Strategy
The Trump administration implemented a higher-education strategy, aiming to reshape college admissions and policies. President Donald Trump’s focus included fostering merit-based admissions, reducing racial diversity, and eliminating affirmative action practices.
The Approach to Ethnic Diversity
The administration targeted colleges with various tools, suggesting a reduction in Black and Latino representation. Trump’s pursuit involved mandates for test scores and GPA-focused admissions, rejecting any racial preference.
Legal and Political Maneuvers
- Civil-rights investigations and student-loan cuts were among the strategies.
- A Department of Justice lawsuit against Yale illustrated concerns about racial biases, citing disparities in the admission rates between Hispanic and white students based on academic metrics.
- The Biden administration later withdrew this lawsuit. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard in 2023 confirmed the end of affirmative action.
Despite these changes, significant shifts in the demographic makeup at elite universities like Harvard and Yale remained gradual.
Restructuring University Agreements
Key institutions such as Columbia and Brown University were prompted to comply with new agreements. These mandates required universities to adopt purely merit-based admissions, threatening the withdrawal of federal funding otherwise.
| University | Key Terms |
|---|---|
| Columbia | No racial admissions aspects; report data by race and academic metrics |
| Brown | Similar to Columbia’s agreement, emphasizing merit-based admissions |
Challenges and Public Reactions
The administration directed new data collection efforts, aiming to ensure transparency and compliance with federal laws. The pursuit involves comprehensive data by race and academic indicators, addressing potential biases.
However, the rise of test-optional policies among selective colleges poses challenges for this strategy. Institutions like Columbia and others have moved away from requiring SAT or ACT scores, complicating efforts to purely quantify merit.
Broader Implications
- Trump’s administration continues pushing for DEI eliminations in education.
- A new regulation requires public comments, engaging civil discourse on college admissions fairness.
While the administration seeks to implement widespread changes across elite campuses, opposition and procedural hurdles may alter or delay some outcomes. Trump’s administrative decisions reflect a strategic vision for college admissions, with lasting impacts on educational diversity practices in the US.
