The Daily cover image

The Daily

The First Post-Affirmative Action Class Enters College

Sep 6, 2024
David Leonhardt, a senior writer at The Times and the force behind The Morning newsletter, dives into the fallout from the Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action. He discusses the sharp decline in Black and Hispanic student enrollment at elite colleges like MIT, raising alarms about future diversity. Leonhardt also highlights the unexpected rise in economic diversity among students and the shift towards evaluating individual life experiences in admissions. The conversation reveals the complex challenges institutions face in maintaining equitable diversity amidst legal constraints.
30:02

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Supreme Court's decision to ban affirmative action has drastically reduced the enrollment of Black and Hispanic students at elite colleges.
  • Colleges are now prioritizing economic diversity in admissions, resulting in more low-income students being admitted despite racial diversity concerns.

Deep dives

Impact of Affirmative Action Ban on College Demographics

The Supreme Court's decision to ban affirmative action has significantly altered the demographics of college campuses, particularly among elite institutions. Initial enrollment statistics indicate a steep decline in Black students, exemplified by MIT's drop from 15% to 5%, while Hispanic students also saw a decrease from 16% to 11%. In contrast, the proportion of Asian students rose, highlighting the anticipated shifts criticized by affirmative action advocates. However, some schools like Duke and Yale maintained stable Black student percentages, suggesting a more nuanced outcome across different colleges.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode