Ah, junior year. As students approach their final years of high school, one thing seems to be on everyone’s mind: college. Now more so than ever students are prioritizing schoolwork in order to increase their chances of getting into a decent school.  Students are frantically trying to boost their GPAs and participate in more extracurricular activities as the college application process nears. Studies show, however, that grades and extracurricular activities are not the only deciding factors in college admissions. Another factor that determines whether or not one is accepted into college is something that cannot be controlled: race.

            While it seems unfair that one can be denied from a college based on the skin color he was born with, race-based college admissions is ever present. The Association of American Medical Colleges found that amongst applicants who received average GPA and MCAT scores for students applying to medical schools, black applicants were nearly three times more likely to be accepted into a US Medical School than Asian applicants (with acceptance rates of 84% and 28.1%, respectively). Similarly, Hispanics were nearly two times more likely to be accepted than white applicants (68% and 34.1%, respectively). Even though the students received similar grades and test scores, Asians and whites were far less likely to be accepted than blacks and Hispanics.

            Why is race a determining factor in college admissions? While ideally college admissions should be based on merit alone, many colleges accept students who belong to a minority race in order to appear more diverse. The University of Texas at Austin factors race into its undergraduate admissions process. In 2012, Abigail Noel Fisher, a white female, filed a lawsuit against the University, claiming that black and Hispanic applicants were accepted while she was not despite her academic and extracurricular superiority.  The Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of the University, but in a 7-1 majority in June 2013, the Supreme Court asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to re-evaluate the case.

While Fisher’s efforts are drawing attention to racial discrimination in college admissions, the issue remains unresolved. Sure, racial diversity on college campuses can be beneficial. However, when racial diversity becomes more important than credentials, something needs to be done. Students should be admitted into universities based on merit rather than race. After all, a student’s race is out of his control. 

Works Cited

Perry, Mark J. "Acceptance Rates at US Medical Schools between 2010-2012 Reveal Racial Preferences for Blacks and Hispanics." American Enterprise Institute Ideas. N.p., 04 Apr. 2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.

Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin. Supreme Court. 24 June 2013. Supreme Court of the United States. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.