The term “affirmative action” was first coined by President John F. Kennedy on March 6, 1961, when he signed to establish the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. Among other things, the order states, “The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, or national origin. The contractor will take affirmative action [emphasis ours] to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.” Affirmative action was intended to give equal opportunities to – and to compensate for past discrimination or exploitation against – groups based on race, gender, or sexuality. As it relates to admissions, many U.S. colleges and universities had adopted race-conscious admissions programs as a tool for diversifying their student bodies.
In Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) determined that affirmative action and race-conscious admissions are unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In this new decision, colleges and universities cannot use race or ethnicity as a basis for admissions decisions. This would seem to present a potential logistical problem for applicants from underrepresented minority populations: now that admissions committees can no longer consider race, do you need to change your approach to your applications in some way?
In light of this new legal reality, I reached out to several MBA admissions departments to get a sense for two things: (1) How will the Supreme Court decision affect the way business schools approach admissions? And (2) how should prospective students adjust their applications?
Because the decision is new and university legal teams are still analyzing the possible ramifications, school officials are understandably short and to the point when answering question 1, typically offering some version of “We are working through the decision to understand its implications.” Some of the off-the-record responses I received emphasized that the respective MBA programs “have and will continue to proactively recruit and provide life-changing educational opportunities and support to ALL, regardless of identity.”
Separately, many colleges and universities have posted official statements regarding their opinions on the decision and their commitment to continue to develop diverse student bodies while complying with the law. The business schools affiliated with these universities affirm these official releases. Here is a sampling of college and university statements:
- The statement of University of California President Michael Drake, M.D.
- The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management’s statement
- Harvard University’s statement
- Northwestern President Michael Schill’s statement
- The statement of University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz
- The statement of the University of Texas at Austin
Anthony Whitten, director of diversity admissions at the Berkeley Haas School of Business, told me, “The SCOTUS decision doesn’t change the reality of admissions at public California institutions. We will continue to pursue strategies to diversify within the bounds of the law. I would recommend that prospective candidates continue to bring the entirety of their experiences to the application.” Mr. Whitten pointed to University of California President Michael Drake’s statement that “since the consideration of race in admissions was banned in California 27 years ago by Proposition 209, the University of California has adjusted its admissions practices to comply with the law while continuing to aggressively pursue avenues for increasing diverse student applications, admissions, enrollment, and retention.”
In other words, if you are applying to an MBA program based in California, this decision does not alter the application process either for the admissions committee or for you, as the applicant. However, what’s the answer for my question 2 if someone is applying to non-California-based U.S. schools?
The SCOTUS opinion does note that “nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” So, if you have a story of adversity or overcoming discrimination in your personal or professional life that would be relevant to a given school’s essay prompt, then feel free to tell that story! Essays such as the Stanford GSB’s “What matters most to you and why?,” Yale SOM’s “Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made,” and Harvard’s “What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?” are but three examples of where the discussion of race could be both relevant and allowable under the new SCOTUS decision.
What is the short version of all this? The Supreme Court decision should not change how you complete your MBA applications. Admissions teams are genuinely trying to learn about you, so you should tell the stories that best answer your target program’s essay prompts. You should freely describe who you are and what makes you a unique voice that needs to be heard in the hallowed halls of your chosen MBA programs.
An MBA is a very personal endeavor. Take the time to be thoughtful and strategic about your application. If you’re looking for help in navigating the complex and competitive MBA application landscape, reach out to one of our counselors for a free 30-minute consultation. All of Stratus’s counselors have degrees from top MBA programs and would love to support you in this exciting next phase of your life!