I am there on WNYC and now take a look at how the college admissions process has already

changed in the few months since the end of affirmative action. August 1st marked the

start of the first admission cycle since the Supreme Court banned universities from considering

an applicant's race in their decisions. Why August 1st? Well, students of today know

well that this is when Common App, the nonprofit that combines the applications of over

a thousand universities, launched for the new year. So how are universities who care about

racial diversity aiming to achieve it within the new confines of the Supreme Court's decision?

For one thing, many are utilizing their essay prompts to learn more about the backgrounds

of prospective students. Brandeis University's essay question now reads, Brandeis was established

75 years ago to address anti-semitism, racism, and gender discrimination in higher education.

And today the university remains dedicated to its founding values of inclusivity and justice.

How has your educational experience shaped your perspective on these values? So that's

in a Brandeis essay prompt. Sarah Lawrence took an even bolder approach and might say directly

citing the court. In their question, it reads, in a 2023 majority decision of the Supreme

Court of the United States, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, nothing prohibits universities

from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected the applicant's life.

So long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability

that the applicant can contribute to the university, quoting from John Roberts, drawing upon examples

from your life. Sarah Lawrence continues, a quality of your character and or a unique ability

you possess, describe how you believe your goals for a college education might be impacted,

influenced or affected by the court's decision in your face Supreme Court, right? Other

schools are changing their admissions procedures and policies to in hopes of making the process

...