The Middletown, Conn., institution joins several other universities forgoing the decades-old practice of giving the children of alumni preferential treatment in the admissions process, which disproportionately benefits students who are wealthy and white. The Supreme Court’s decision striking down the use of affirmative action in college decisions in June eliminated a tool many universities used to diversify their campuses, thrusting legacy preference into the spotlight.
Wesleyan University President Michael S. Roth said in a statement Wednesday that legacy status “has played a negligible role in our admissions process for many years.” But the liberal-arts college, which had a 15.7% acceptance rate for the class of 2027, found it necessary to formally end the practice following the high court’s decision, he said.