Wesleyan University Joins Schools Discontinuing Legacy Admissions

Wesleyan University, located in Connecticut, stated on Wednesday that it is now among the latest institutions to abolish the policy of awarding admissions favorability to applicants with historical familial connections to the school.

Michael Roth, the President of Wesleyan, sent a communication to the university community, indicating that although “legacy status” has traditionally had minimal impact on admissions, it would now be entirely removed from the process.

“Whilst we continue to appreciate the enduring relationships formed from multiple generations of Wesleyan attendance, no special consideration will be granted during the selection process,” he penned. “As has predominantly been the norm, the alumni’s relatives will secure admission solely based on their own merits.”

In the wake of last month’s Supreme Court verdict prohibiting affirmative action and the consideration of race in university admissions, legacy policies have faced scrutiny. The court’s conservative majority effectively overturned legal precedents dating back 45 years, compelling educational establishments to devise novel strategies for achieving student body diversity.

Several institutions, including Amherst College in Massachusetts, Carnegie Melon University in Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University in Maryland have, in recent times, discontinued legacy admissions.

A civil rights complaint has been lodged against Harvard University concerning its legacy admissions approach. Lawyers for Civil Rights, a Boston-based nonprofit that filed the complaint on behalf of Black and Latino community collectives in New England, made a case that legacy-connected students are seven times more likely to gain admission to Harvard, can represent nearly a third of a class, and about 70% are white.

The group, in a Wednesday statement, expressed, “Harvard is on the wrong side of history – but can alter this by voluntarily eliminating donor and legacy preferences, following Wesleyan and numerous other institutions.”

In addition to discontinuing legacy admissions, Roth stated that Wesleyan, a liberal arts institution with around 3,000 undergraduates, is intensifying its efforts to foster student body diversity. He further announced the university’s plans to establish scholarships for students from Africa, build a better pathway for veterans to apply to the school, improve community college recruitment, and assure the sustainability of the school’s degree program for incarcerated individuals.

“Our admissions decision is grounded on a broad spectrum of an individual’s history, talent, and potential to contribute to the university, as well as to gain maximum benefit from a Wesleyan education,” Roth wrote. “In light of the applicant’s school, public engagement, and personal circumstances, their accomplishments and promise are thoroughly evaluated. We will persist with this approach.”

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This version clarifies that the announcement was made on Wednesday, not Tuesday.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Legacy Admissions

More about Legacy Admissions

• Wesleyan University Announcement: Wesleyan University
• Recent Supreme Court Ruling: Supreme Court
• Schools Eliminating Legacy Admissions: Amherst College, Carnegie Melon University, Johns Hopkins University
• Harvard University Civil Rights Complaint: Lawyers for Civil Rights