Supreme Court's Impact on Legacy Admissions and Affirmative Action

The Supreme Court's recent decision to limit the use of race in college admissions has brought renewed scrutiny to legacy admissions, with both conservative and liberal justices criticizing Harvard's practice of giving preference to legacy applicants. President Biden has instructed the Department of Education to analyze practices like legacy admissions that expand privilege instead of opportunity. Justice Gorsuch argued that Harvard's legacy preferences primarily benefit white and wealthy applicants, while Justice Sotomayor highlighted the need for affirmative action to address underrepresentation of racial minorities. Former First Lady Michelle Obama also questioned the acceptance of money, power, and privilege as forms of affirmative action.