Overview

• California becomes the fifth state to ban legacy admissions, applying the ban to both public and private colleges.
• The legislation follows the Supreme Court's 2023 decision against race-based admissions, pushing for merit-based evaluations.
• Research indicates that legacy applicants are significantly more likely to be admitted than non-legacy peers with similar qualifications.
• Critics argue that legacy admissions perpetuate inequality, favoring affluent, predominantly white applicants.
• Concerns remain about enforcement and transparency, with calls for third-party audits to ensure compliance.