Supreme Court's Decision Ends Affirmative Action in College Admissions

The Supreme Court has ruled that race-conscious admission policies at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violate the Constitution, effectively ending affirmative action in higher education. The court ruled 6-3 in the University of North Carolina case and 6-2 in the Harvard dispute, with Chief Justice John Roberts authoring the majority opinion. The decision will have far-reaching implications for college campuses across the country. While universities can still consider an applicant's discussion of how race affected their life, race can no longer be used as a factor in evaluating students. Critics argue that the ruling will lead to a drop in representation of Black and Hispanic students, particularly at elite institutions.